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HISTORY 



By 



MAMIE C. TEX 



For Eighth Grade 

To Harmonize with the Ill- 
inois State Course of Study 
Fifth General Revision 

Treats of Every Topic in 
Eighth Year History 



Price 35 Cents 

Postage Extra 3 Cents 

Eighth Year Grammar at same Price 



Mamie C. Tex, Taylorville, 111. 



Copyright 1913, by Mamie C. Tex 



€-CU357612 



HISTORY 



By 



MAMIE C. TEX 



For 


Eighth 


Grade 


To H 

inois 
Fifth 


armonize with the Ill- 
State Course of Study 
General Revision 



Treats of Every Topic in 
Eighth Year H istory 

Price 35 Cents 

Postage Extra 3 Cents 

Eighth Year Grammar at same Price 



Mamie C. Tex, Taylorville, III 






Foreword. 

An experience of six years in teaching this subject 
has proved that no o.ne text book now in use is adapted 
to the demands of our Course of Study, and in order to 
meet these requirements I present this booklet. 

It has been prepared expressly for my own classes, 
but it has also been the aim to adapt it to the use of any 
class in the Eighth Year following the Illinois State 
Course of Study. No pains have been spared to make 
it as accurate and complete as possible. 

It is not to be presumed that this booklet contains 
all that might be said on each topic, but such material 
is given as the average Eighth Year pupil can under- 
stand and assimilate. 

Special thanks are due to several book companies, 
whose names appear below several of the topics, for their 
kindness in allowing me permission to use topics from 
their histories. 

In conclusion this volume is submitted to you, my 
dear pupils and co-workers, with the hope that it will 
perform its mission as designed. 

Mamie C. Tex. 

Taylorville, Illinois. 

September 27, 1913. , •. 



First Month. 



CONDITIONS UNDER ARTICLES OF 

CONFEDERATION. 

As to Law Making Power. 

Under the x\rticles of Confederation there was only 
one department to our government and that was the 
Legislative Department, and it consisted of only one 
house. 

Its powers were very limited. It could collect no 
money by taxation and foreign nations began to mis- 
trust us. It had no power to regulate commerce with 
foreign nations or between the States, if the government 
would have had this power it could have raised a revenue 
by levying a duty on imports. When the government 
needed money it could not compel the States to raise 
it. 

As to the Executive Power. 
Under the xA^rticles of Confederation the nation had no 
President — no head, that is no one to see that the laws 
were obeyed. In fact the government under the Articles 
of Confederation could declare everything and do noth- 
ing. The national government under it was simply fall- 
ing to pieces. 

The Conditions under the Articles of Confederation led to 

the Formation of a New Constitution Providing 

for a Legislative, Executive and Judicial 

Department. 

The Articles of Confederation were found to be 
very faulty and it was rapidly becoming plain to men 
of sense that the government could not go on as it had 
been. Finally, it was agreed that a convention be held 
in Philadelphia in May, 1787, to revise the Articles of 
Confederation, but they were found to be so faulty that 
the members of the convention decided not to use the 



4 FIRST MONTH. 

Articles of Confederation at all, but to draw up an en- 
tirely new Constitution. 

The new Constitution provided for three depart- 
ments : Legislative, Executive, and Judicial. 

The Legislative Department was to consist of two 
houses, the Senate and the House of Representatives. 
This is the department that makes the laws. 

The Executive Department is vested in a President 
of the United States ; he sees that the laws are obeyed. 
The Judicial Department is vested in one Supreme 
Court, and in such inferior courts as the Congress may 
from time to time ordain and establish. This is the de- 
partment that interprets the laws made by Congress and 
declare whether they accord wath the Constitution or 
not. 

THE WORK OF WASHINGTON (IN DEVELOP- 
ING SPIRIT OF NATIONALITY.) 

The Financial Problem. 

• The new government began its work under great 
difificulty.The money question was very pressing. The 
treasury was empty, and the credit of the United States 
was at stake. 

In order to obtain funds with which to pay our 
debts Congress passed the first TariiT Act, 1789. This 
placed a tariff on many foreign goods entering our ports. 
Another means which Congress provided was to lay a 
tax on tlie home manufacture of spirituous liquors. 
1-8-1 and 2. 

Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxe>, 
duties, imposts, and excises to pay the debts and provide 
for the common defense and general welfare of the United 
States; but all duties, imposts, and excises shall be uniform 
throughout the United States. 

Congress has power *to borrow money on the credit 
of the United States. 



FIRST MONTH. 5 

Debt of United States — Foreign and Domestic (State 
and National.) 

After the Revolutionary War, United States was 
greatly in debt. 

The Foreign Debt due Holland, France and Spain 
was about $12,000,000, the Domestic Debt .was about $42,- 
000,000, and the State Debt was abont $21,000,000. The 
total debt about the year 1790 amounted to almost $80.- 
000,000. 

Hamilton's Plans. 

Alexander Hamilton, who held the office of Secretary 
of the Treasury, saw at once that in order to secure the 
respect of foreign countries we must pay our foreign debt, 
to insure the good will of our States we must pay our State 
debts, and to inspire the confidence of our citizens we must 
pay our domestic debt. 

He proposed that all the money that was brought in 
by the tariff and taxes and not needed for the govern- 
mental expenses, should be used to pay these debts of 
the United States. 

Congress gave Hamilton permission to use the money 
as he had directed. 

1-8-18. 

Congress has power to make all laws which shall be 
necessary and proper for carrying into execution the fore- 
going powers and all other powers vested by this Con- 
stitution in the government of the United States, or in 
any department or officer thereof. 

Assumption Bill. 

Hamilton in his plans for paying the debt that had 
been left by the Revolutionary War, proposed that Con- 
gress should pay all the foreign debt, and besides assume 
all State debts because these debts had been made for the 
common good of all. 

To assume the State debt led to a lively debate In 
Co'ngress, the Southern members knew the debts of the 
Southern States were less than the debts of the Northern 



6 FIRST MONTH. 

States, and thought if the o-overnment was given this 
power it would be responsible for all the debts oi the 
country and that it would be influenced by the wealthy 
capitalists of the Northern States. They also declared the 
Constitution no wKere .gave the right to Congress to tax 
people to pay debts owed by a State. At the same time 
a debate was going on as to where the National Capital 
should be located. 

The Northern States wanted it as far north as the 
Delaware River, the Southern States wanted it as far south 
as the Potomac River. 

At last a compromise was made. It was agreed that 
the National Government would assume all State debtrj, 
and the capital would be located on the Potomac River. 

Funding Bill. 

The entire public debt was funded by issuing new 
bonds, by money derived from the sale of western lands, 
and by using the greater part of the revenue money. The 
Funding Bill was one of the measures adopted by Con- 
gress, and was one of Hamilton's arg-uments in favor of 
the government meeting its obligations. 

Bank Bill. 

Hamilton thought the condition of the country would 
be greatly improved if a United States Bank was estab- 
lished. This led to another bitter discussion. 

The Federalists favored the measure while the Anti- 
Federalists opposed it. The Federalists thought such a 
bank with the United States a share holder would be a 
safe place for the government to deposit its money. 

The Anti-Federalists declared there was nothing in 
the Constitution which gave Congress the right to charter 
such a bank. 

Hamilton declared Article I, Section VHI, Clause 18, 
could be stretched until it gave Congress this power. 

The Anti-Federalists declared if this claus e was 
stretched it would give the go^^ernment too much power 
and would finally become tyrannical. 



FIRST MONTH. 7 

Hamilton was victorious and the tirst Bank of the 
United States was chartered 1791, and was to continue for 
twenty years. 

The government was to have an interest in this bank, 
and it could issue bank bills which would be good every- 
where. 

Tariff and Excise Law. 

As a means of raising revenue a bill laying duties 
on imports was passed in 1789; also an excise law was 
passed 1791 which laid a tax on the home manufacture of 
spirituous liquors. The tariff law taxed the foreigners 
and the excise law taxed the citizens of the United States. 

The tariff was not a direct tax; had it been, many 
people would have objected. It is an indirect tax which 
is paid wdthout the people hardly knowing they are pay- 
ing a tax. The first tax on imports brought in almost 
$200. 000 a month. 

Whisky Rebellion and Its Lesson. 

During Washington's second term a tax was laid on 
whisky. It was a difficult task for the farmers in western 
Pennsylvania to get their grain over the mountains to 
market, therefore, the most of it they distilled into liquor, 
and thought it would be more profitable to ship the liquor 
than to- ship the grain in bulk. This whisky tax was about 
nine cents a gallon. The farmers declared they would not 
pay it. Officers were sent to collect it. The farmers drove 
them away. As the tax had been levied for the govern- 
ment's need, Washington called for troops. The troops 
landed in Pennsylvania and the insurrection quieted with- 
out a battle. 

This was the first time the new government was called 
upon to put down a revolt. 

It taught the people that they were now under a strong 
National Government that could and would enforce its 
laws. 

2-3. 

The President shall take care that the laws be faith- 



8 FIRST MONTH. 

fully executed, and shall commission all the officers of the 
United States. 

1-8-15. 

Congress has power to provide for calling forth the 
militia to execute the laws of the Union, suppress insur- 
rections, and repel invasions. 

2-2-1. 

The President shall be commander-in-chief of the army 
and navy of the United States when called into the actual 
service of the United States. 

Foreign Difficulties Which Terminated in a Proclamation 
of Neutrality. 

France had been treating her common people un- 
justly for n>any years, at last the people rose against 
the king, finally beheaded him, and took control of 
the government themselves. This led to a war between 
France and England early in 1793. The French, as they 
had given the United States help in the Revolutionary 
War, thought that all that would be necessary would be 
to call upon the United States for help. 

The Federalists opposed assisting France in her 
Revolution, while the Anti-Federalists favored assisting 
France. This difference in views of the two parties 
made the quarrel between the two parties in America 
intensely bitter. 

^^'ashington, after calling a Cabinet meeting, de- 
cided if we gave France aid it might bring on another war 
with England, and we hadn't yet fully recovered from 
the Revolutionary War. He, therefore, issued the procla- 
mation of neutrality saying we would take no part in 
European quarrels. 

Jay's Treaty. 

The Revolutionary War had hardly closed when Eng- 
land claimed that debts could not be collected in Ameri- 
ca. On the other hand, the Americans charged that the 
British army had carried off their negroes, that posts 
w^ere still held on the frontier, and that our seamen were 
impressed. Chief Justice Jay was sent to England to 



FIRST MONTH. 9 

make a treaty, IT 94. England agreed to surrender west- 
ern posts and to allow our vessels to trade with the 
West Indies ; but she refused to stop seizing neutral 
goods and impressing our seamen. The treaty did not 
suit Washington but it was the best that could be had, so he 
approved it and the Senate ratified it, 1795. Jay's treaty 
prevented a war with England. — Barnes, p. Jj2. 

2-2-2. 

Tlie President shall have power, by and with the ad- 
vice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties, pro- 
vided two-thirds of the senators present concur. 

Defeat of the Northwest Indians by Wayne. 

An Indian War was raging in the "Ohio Country." 
The Indians murdered many settlers and "defeated many 
military expeditions sent against them. At last Wash- 
ington ordered General Anthony Wayne, known as *'Mad 
Anthony,'' to take the field. The British were furnishing 
the Indians with food, ammunition, and military advice. 
Wayne spent two years in careful preparation before he 
marched against them. A desperate battle was fought 
with the Indians at Maumee, August 20, 1794. The 
Indians were badly defeated, and made a treaty by which 
they gave up 2.5,000 square miles of land north of the 
Ohio." 

The treaty opened the greater part of Ohio to settle- 
ment. 

THE DEVELOPMENT OF NATIONALITY DUR- 
ING ADMINISTRATION OF ADAMS. 

Naturalization Law. 

A naturalization law was enacted by Congress, 1790. 
Under this law foreigners had to live in the United States 
two years before they could become citizens. In 1795 
this law was repealed and a new naturalization law was 
passed compelling the alien to live here five years before 
he could become a citizen. During President Adams' ad- 
ministration, and in 1798, another naturalization law was 



10 FIRST MONTH. 

passed compelling the alien to live here fourteen years 
before he could become a citizen. 

Since l-SO'^ it has been five years. 
1-8-4. 

Congress shall have power to establish an uniform 
rate of naturalization. 

Sedition Law. 

The Sedition Law was passed in 17!)S. It made it a 
crime for any one to w^rite, print, or utter anything to 
the discredit of the President, the Government, or Con- 
gress. 

Amendment I. 

Congress shall make no law abridging the freedom 
of speech, or of the press. This amendment with nine 
others were adopted during the year 17 111. 

Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions. 

Virginia declared the x\lien and Sedition Laws were 
unconstitutional. Kentucky declared any State had a 
right to nullify an Act of Congress which is in vit^lation 
of the Constitution. Both laws soon passed out of ex- 
istence. No State is allowed to nullify an act of Con- 
gress ; the Supreme Court of the United States is the 
proper authority to do this. It would soon destroy the 
Union. 

1-8-18. 

Congress has power to make all laws which shall 
be necessary and proper for carrying into execution the 
foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by this 
Constitution in the government of the United States, or 
in any department or officer thereof. 

6-2. 

This Constitution, and the laws of the United States 
which shall be made in pursuance thereof, and all treaties 
made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the 
L^nited States, shall be the supreme law of the land. 
Preamble. 

We, the people of the United States in order to form 
a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic 



FIRST MONTH. 11 

tranquillity, provide for the common defense, promote the 
general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to 
ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this 
Constitution for the United States of America. 

Amendments 9 and 10. 

The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights 
shall not be construed to deny or disparage others re- 
tained by the people. 

The pov^ers not delegated to the United States by 
the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are 
reserved to the States respectively or to the people. 

Foreign Troubles Which Terminated in War With 
France. 

The French people were thrown into a violent rage 
when the United States would not assist them in their 
war with England. They captured many American ves- 
sels, insulted our flag, and refused to receive our envoys 
unless we would pay a large loan. This we refused to do 
and the United States prepared for war. \\"ashington 
was made commander-in-chief, hostilities had begun on 
the ocean, and several French vessels had been captured, 
when Napoleon became leader of French affairs, and he 
wasn't long in making a treaty that was satisfactory to 
both countries. The trouble w^as settled in the fall of 
ISOO. 

Alien and Sedition Laws. 

The Alien and Sedition Laws were passed 1798. 

The Alien Law gave the President the right to order 
any alien to leave the country, if he considered it danger- 
ous for the alien to live here. 

In 1798 a naturalization law was passed which re- 
quired foreigners to live here fourteen years before they 
could become citizens. This was a hard thing for the 
Republican immigrants, for most of the immigrants were 
Republicans. 

President Adams intended the Alien Law mostly for 
the French who were flocking to our shores and among 



12 FIRST MONTH. 

them were many agitators and anarchists. Many of the 
French heard of the law and left the country. 

The Sedition Law made it a crime for any one to 
write, print, or utter anything- to the discredit of the 
P*resident, the government, or Congress. 

President Adams was a Federalist, and he advocated 
the Sedition Law in order to put a stop to the Anti- 
Federalists or Republicans from publishing anything to 
the discredit of the Federalists. 

The Alien Law was not enforced, but the Sedition 
Law was enforced with fines and imprisonment. 

These laws made President Adams very unpopular 
and were the main cause of the downfall of the Federalist 
Party. 

Virginia and Kentucky Resolutions. 

(This topic has been given on p. 10.) 

THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NORTH UNDER 
JEFFERSON. 

Election of Jefferson. 

Jefferson and Burr were candidates for President on 
the Republican ticket. John Adams and Pickney were 
candidates on the Federalist ticket for the same office. 

The Constitution provided that the man who should 
receive the highest number of electoral votes should be 
President. When the votes were counted Jeft'erson and 
Burr each received seventy-three electoral votes. This 
threw the election into the House of Representatives, 
which, after a great deal of struggle and ill-feeling, 
finally chose Jefferson for President and Burr for Vice- 
President. 

2-1-2. 

Each State shall appoint in such manner as the Legis- 
lature thereof may direct, a number of electors, equal to 
the whole number of Sena,tors and Representatives to 
which the State may be entitled in the Congress, but no 
Senator or Representative, or person holding an office 
of trust or profit under the United States, shall be ap- 
pointed an elector. 



FIRST MONTH. 13 

Amendment 12. 

(Pertains to the election of President and Vice- 
President and may be found in the amendments which are 
in the back part of any good school history.) 

Conditions Bringing About the Purchase of Louisiana 
Territory, 1803. 

France was about to enter into war with England and 
as she owned Louisiana, she was afraid the English might 
seize it. She also needed money to prepare for war. For 
these reasons she sold it to the United States for 
$15,000,000. Many people grumbled at Jefiferson because 
he purchased it, and declared it was unconstitutional for 
they said there was nothing in the Constitution that gave 
the President the express power to add new territory to 
the United States. He purchased it under the treaty- 
making power of the Constitution. 

After all it was one of the most fortunate events in 
the history of the United States for it more than doubled 
the area which we already owned, secured the free navi- 
gation of the Mississippi River, and included the city of 
T\ew Orleans. 

It was purchased by Robert Livingston, who was our 
minister, and James Monroe, who was sent to France to 
make the purchase. 

2-2-2. 

The President shall have power, by and with the 
advice and consent of the Senate, to make treaties, pro- 
vided tw^o-thirds of the Senators present concur. 

1-8-18. 

Congress has power to make all laws, which shall be 
necessary and proper for carrying into execution the fore- 
going powers, and all other powers vested by this Con- 
stitution in the Government of the United States, or in 
any department or officer thereof. 

Commercial Difficulties Leading to the Embargo and 
Non-Intercourse Act. 
England and France were engaged in a great war, and 
England was in need of seamen. She claimed the right 



14 FIRST MONTH. 

of Stopping American vessels on the high seas and search- 
ing for seamen of EngUsh birth. Many times she was 
mistaken and took men from our country and forced them 
into her service, and compelled them to fight her battles. 
This aroused great indignation in America. England in- 
creased our anger still more when the British ship, 
'"Leopard," fired into the American ship, "Chesapeake," and 
forced her to surrender. At this Jefferson, saw only one 
remedy and passed the Embargo Act forbidding any Amer- 
ican ship to leave its port. He thought that if he did this, 
England would be forced to recognize our rights, but in- 
stead our commerce was the chief sufferer and the act was 
modified so that we could carry on commerce with all 
countries except Great Britain and France. This modifica- 
tion was known as' the Non-Intercourse Act and was passed 
1809. It remained in force but a short time. 

1-8-3. 

Congress shall have power to regulate commerce with 
foreign nations, and among the • several States, and with 
the Indian tribes. 

Reasons for Toleration of European Treatment. 

The important reasons why United States tolerated 
England's and France's mistreatment were that our naval 
forces were very weak, we had only twelve war ships while 
England and France each had a magnificient navy, besides 
our land forces were poorly prepared for war, and our 
country was not so firmly united as it should be. The 
war was greatly opposed by New England for it would 
ruin her commerce. Many of our citizens thought we were 
not able to pay taxes enough to carry on a war. England 
had claimed the "right of search" so long that United 
States seemed almost used to it. Jefferson hated war and 
tried to preserve peace, for he had seen the miseries caused 
by the Revolution. 

Reasons Against Toleration of European Treatment. 

United States had endured the abuses of England and 
France for a number of years, and the majority of the 



FIRST MONTH. 15 

people saw that there was no proof that those countries 
would ever stop their mistreatment. 

England was blockading our ports with British 
cruisers, and encouraging the Indians to kill our people 
and destroy our property. Madison, our President, was 
in favor of peace, but the Republican leaders were deter- 
mined to have war, for if the United States did not resent 
the depredations committed by England and France, there 
would be no reason why her vessels should not become the 
victims of any more powerful nation. 

THE WORK OF MADISON. 
The War of 1812. 

The War of 1812 was between England and America. 
It lasted from 1812-1814. The main cause of the war was 
the impressment of American seanien. It is sometimes 
called "The Second War with England" or ''The War for 
Commercial Independence." The treaty of peace was sign- 
ed at Ghent, December 24, 1814. Not a word was men- 
tioned in the treaty of peace about England's "right of 
search," but America had taught England such a lesson that 
from that day to this, England never searched another 
American ship 

Cause of War With England Instead of France. 

France had comniitted as many depredations upon our 
commerce as England had. It was certain we could not 
declare war against both. There remained in many hearts 
an old hatred against England. We could strike a blow at 
England by making an attack on Canada and if we were 
successful perhaps we could annex it. Many of our states- 
men urged the war against England. 

If we should declare war with France, it would require 
a large naval force because it would be necessary to go to 
France to fight, and besides the United States had not for- 
gotten that France had helped her in time of need. 

Hull. 

Our first step in the Second War with England was to 
invade Canada, and if we were successful we would annex 



16 FIRST MONTH. 

it to the United States. General William Hull was ordered 
to march to Canada. His- army was not well prepared, 
and it seemed as though everything went wrong. Hull 
commanded a large force and was met at Detroit by a 
British force under Brock and a body of Indians under 
Tecumseh. The Americans were confident that they 
could hold the place against the British, when Hull 
shamefully surrendered before a shot had been fired. He 
would have been shot for cowardice had it not been that 
he had been such a brave officer in the Revolutionary 
War, but he was now old and timid. He not only surren- 
dered Detroit, but the whole of Michigan, August 16, 
1812. 

Object — A conquest of Canada and the annexing 
of it. 

Result — It gave the British control of the upper lakes, 
by which they could protect a large part of Canada from 
invasion, and easily send expeditions into the United 
States. 

Troops were sent to retake Detroit, but were badly 
defeated. 

Perry. 

Oliver Hazard Perry, a young naval officer, less than 
thirty years of age, built a little fleet at Erie to attack 
the British, who held Lake Erie. He had a fleet of nine 
vessels, while the British had six. He had less guns than 
the British, but they could throw heavier broadsides. 

Perry's vessel was named the "Lawrence," in mem- 
ory of brave Lawrence, who \vas mortally wounded in a 
naval battle just a short time before. 

He met the enemy on the western shore of Lake 
Erie. As soon as he saw the enemy coming he flung a blue 
flag to the breeze, on which was the inscription, "'Don't 
give up the ship," the dying words of poor Lawrence. 

Both sides showed great bravery. At last Perry cap- 
tured the entire British fleet. He at once told the glad 
news to General Harrison in a brief dispatch, ''We have 
met the enemy, and they are ours." 

This victory gave us control of Lake Erie. 



FIRST MONTH. 17 

Harrison. 

Harrison wanted to enter Canada by way of Detroit^ 
but on account of the British holding Lake Erie he was 
unable to do so. Now that Perry got complete control 
of Lake Erie, Harrison pushed on into Canada, and on 
October 5, 1813, defeated the British at the battle of the 
Thames. 

Burning of Washington. 

The British commenced to ravage our coast south of 
the New England States. They burned houses and barns, 
destroyed crops, and even murdered the sick in their 
beds. The British soldiers burned the capitol building 
and other public buildings in Washington City. 

A month later they attacked Baltimore, but were 
driven back. This victory inspired Francis S. Key, an 
American held prisoner on one of the British ships, to 
write our national hymn, "The Star-Spangled Banner." 

Work of Privateers. 

A privateer is a private vessel licensed by the gov- 
ernment to seize and plunder the ships of an enemy. 

Many private vessels, owned by American citizens, 
preyed upon England's immense commerce, and captured 
about twenty-five hundred British ships. 

Of course these privateers could not destroy Eng- 
land's commerce, but they annoyed the merchant class 
of England so greatly that they were in favor of peace. 
Work of the Navy of the United States. 

Before the close of the year 1812, the frigate "Con- 
stitution," or "Old Ironsides," as she is still popularly 
called, beat the "Guierriere" so badly that she could not 
be brought to port; the little sloop "Wasp" almost shot 
to pieces the British sloop "Frolic" ; the frigate "L'nited 
States" brought the "Macedonian" in triumph to New- 
port, Rhode Island, and the "Constitution" made a wreck 
of the "Java." In 1813 the "Hornet" riddled the British 
sloop "Peacock." The brig "Enterprise" fought the Brit- 
ish brig "Boxer." 

But we also met with defeats. 



18 FIRST MONTH. 

When Lawrence returned home with the '* Hornet," 
he was given command of the "Chesapeake." He was 
challenged by the commander of the British frigate 
"Shannon" to come out and fight. Lawrence was de- 
feated and mortally wounded, and as he was carried be- 
low he cried out, "Don't give up the ship." 

The brig "Argus/' while destroying merchantmen 
off the English coast, was captured by the British brig 
"Pelican." — McMaster's Brief History, pp. 2^^, 260, 261. 

Difficulties Settled by the War. 

Although in the treaty of peace not a word was said 
about the impressment of seamen, the United States had 
taught England such a lesson that from that day to this 
she never stopped another American vessel with the in- 
tention of taking off seamen, 

RESULTS OF THE WAR. 
On the Problems Causing the War. 
The war taught England as w^ell as other nations 
that our rights on the sea were to be respected. 

Cost of the War. Necessity for U. S. Bank. Change in 

Attitude of Parties. Comparison With 

First U. S. Bank. 

The war cost over a hundred million dollars, and the 
lives of about thirty thousand men. 

It will be remembered that the first United States 
Bank was chartered in 1791, and was to continue for 
twenty years. It had a capital of $10,0()(),()(M). 

In isil, the charter had expired, and when an at- 
tempt was made to renew it the Democrat-Republicans 
fought it so hard that it failed by one vote. 

At the close of the second war with England, the 
State banks suspended specie payments, then the people 
began to want a National bank, so that they could restore 
specie payment and improve the finances. This time they 
were successful, and the second bank of the United States 
was chartered 1816, for twenty years. The new bank 
had a capital of $35,000,000. The headquarters of the 



FIRST MONTH. 19 

bank was at Philadelphia, with a number of branches 
throughout the country. There had always been much 
opposition to such a bank, and it was finally drawn into 
politics. The National Republicans favored the United 
States "bank, while the Democrat-Republicans or the 
Democrats were opposed to it. 

The charter of the first bank was to run for twenty 
years, the charter of the second was to run for the sarRe 
length of time. The first was established 1791, and ex- 
pired 1811. The second was established 1816, and was 
to run for twenty years. 

The first had a capital of $10,000,000 ; the second had 
a capital of $35,000,000. The second bank was modeled 
after the first, and both had their headquarters at Phila- 
delphia. 

Effect of War on Commerce and Manufacturers, There- 
fore, Tariff of 1816. Observe the Bearing of the 

Indian Question (Involved in the War in the 

West) Upon the Settlement of Illinois. 

Study the Battle of Tippecanoe and the 

Chicago Massacre. 

During the war of 1812, our commerce with Europe 
was stopped. The people of the United States were 
obliged to depend upon themselves, and many cotton 
and woolen mills were built. The people engaged in 
manufacturing prospered, for they had no foreign com- 
petition. 

After the war closed, our ports were open to foreign 
trade. England sent over a great number of ships loaded 
with English goods, which she sold much below the 
prices the American merchants sold at. England could 
afiford to do this for labor w^as cheaper there than it was 
in America, besides England thought that if she sold 
cheaper it would soon drive out our manufacturers. They 
soon saw that something had to be done or they would 
be ruined, so they petitioned Congress for protection. 
Congress wisely passed the tariff act 1816. It imposed a 
high duty on foreign cotton and woolen goods, and other 



20 FIRST MONTH. 

articles that Congress thought needed protection. It was 
favored in the South as well as the North for the South- 
ern people wanted high prices for their cotton goods. 

' William Henry Harrison, governor of Indiana Terri- 
tory, had purchased a large tract of land in the AVabash 
V" alley from the Indians. Later the Indians became dis- 
satisfied with the sale, declared they had been cheated, 
and, being led by Tecumseh, and his brother, the Prophet, 
told General Harrison that the land would have to be 
given back or they would begin hostilities. Harrison 
decided the Indians were dangerous. He gathered a 
small army of regular soldiers, and with volunteers from 
Indiana, Kentucky, and Ohio, met the Indians at Tippe- 
canoe in November, 1811, and defeated them with great 
slaughter. Tecumseh was not present in this battle, and 
later, when the second war with England broke out, he 
joined the English forces in Canada. The Indians had 
prevented many people from building homes in Indiana. 
Now that the Indians had been put down, settlers came 
in more rapidly, and by 1815 Indiana had enough in- 
habitants to become a State. 

Fort Dearborn, on the south bank of the main branch 
of the Chicago River, was built in 1803, to prevent the 
Indians from making so many excursions from Fort De- 
troit into Illinois. During the war of 1812, the English 
encouraged the Indians against the Americans. The 
Pottawatomies attacked Fort Dearborn, a terrible mas- 
sacre followed, and the entire force of Americans was 
captured. 

Westward Movement of Immigration. 

After the war, business on the seaboard became 
slack, and people emigrated to the West, where they 
knew all kinds of government lands could be obtained. 
In this way they could get a start in the world. 

The cause of so many people being out of work was 
that the factories were closing down because England 
could sell her goods cheaper, and they had not lived 
long enough under the tariff of 1816 to feel the benefit 



FIRST MONTH. 21 

of it. So many people emigrated to the West; that for six 
years after the war of 1812, a new State was added to the 
Union each year. As soon as the European wars closed, 
the people began to migrate from Europe to America. 

DEVELOPMENT OF NATIONALITY UNDER 
MONROE. 

Feeling of Nationality.- (Monroe's Journey Through the 
Country and Later Re-Election). 

It must be remembered that the second war with 
England was not favored by the New England States, 
for it ruined their commerce and many merchants. Soon 
after I^resident Monroe was elected he made a journey 
through New England, and northern New York. His 
object seemed to be to heal the feelings of these States. 
He went as a peacemaker, and was everywhere joyfully 
received. Party differences seemed to vanish, therefore, 
the period of his presidency is sometimes called "the era 
of good feeling." His first term was from 1817 to 1821, 
and when he was chosen for President tke second time 
he received every electoral vote but one, and that dele- 
gate said he voted against Monroe for he wanted Wash- 
ington to be the only President who was unanimously 
elected. 

The States were now coming to be united into a real 
nation. 

The Troubles With Florida. Conditions There. 
Jackson's Work. 

Florida, which belonged to Spain, was a great an- 
noyance to the States adjoining it. Its government was 
so potjr that pirates, robbers, and desperadoes of all kind 
had taken possession of it 

The Seminole Indians in Florida were murdering 
men. women, and children: they even attacked farms 
and villages in Georgia. 



22 FIRST MONTH. 

General Jackson was sent against them, and in a 
short time had conquered them, and captured two Span- 
ish posts, but later was forced to give them up. 

Seeing that these Seminole Indians might involve us 
in a Avar with Spain, and rather than have any trouble, 
the United States offered Spain five millions of dollars 
for Florida. Spain accepted. The purchase was made 
1819, but the treaty was not ratified until 1821. 



Treaty With Spain Concerning Florida; Concerning 
Texas and Oregon. 

Spain ceded Florida to the United States by a treaty 
signed February 22, 1819. Under the same treaty we 
gave up our claim to the country which was later 
called Texas, and Spain gave up her claim to the "Ore- 
gon country," and by Spain giving up her claim it 
strengthened our claim. 



Second Month. 



THE PROBLEM UNDER J. Q. ADAMS. 
(Election of Adams.) 

Adams, Clay, Crawford, and Jackson were candi- 
dates for the presidency, and all were Republicans. The 
Constitution provides that no man is to be President 
unless he receives a majority of the electoral votes. 

When the votes were counted, no one had received 
a majority ; there was, therefore, no election by the peo- 
ple, and it became the duty of the House of Repre- 
sentatives to choose a President. That body chose John 
Quincy Adams for President and John C. Calhoun for 
Vice President. They served one term, from 1825 to 1829. 

2-1-3. 

The Congress may determine the time of choosing 
the electors, and the day on which they shall give 
their votes ; wliich day shall be the same throughout the 
United States. 

Internal Improvements. 

Among the internal improvements may be men- 
tioned the National Road, which extended from Cumber- 
land," Maryland, westward to Wheeling on the Ohio, and 
later it was built to the Mississippi River. 

The Erie Canal was also completed during the ad- 
ministration of J. Q. Adams. It extended from Troy, 
on the Hudson River, to Buffalo, on the eastern shore of 
Lake Erie. 

Internal improvements was one of the leading ques- 
tions of the day and several million of dollars were paid 
out by the government to improve roads, canals, and har- 
bors. 

1-8-7 and 18. 

Congress shall have power to establish post offices 
and post roads. 

Congress shall have power to make all laws 



24 SECOND MONTH. 

which shall be necessary and proper for carrying 
into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers 
vested by this Constitution in the government of the 
United States, or in any department or office thereof. 

The Question of Internal Improvements by States and 

Nations. 

The Democrat-Republicans, who later were called 
Democrats, stood for "strict construction." They favored 
internal improvements, but did not want the national 
government to have this expense ; they thought it would 
be much better to have private enterprises, aided by 
State governments, to bear the expense. 

The National Republicans, later called the Whig 
Party, stood for "broad construction." They favored a 
protective tariff and internal improvements, by the na- 
tional government. 

Nullification. 

The tariff finally divided the United States into two 
sections — the Northern section, in favor of a tariff, the 
Southern opposed to it. 

The North was a manufacturing section, while the 
South was an agricultural section. 

The Northern people wanted the Southern people 
to buy such manufactured goods as they needed from 
them. The South claimed they could buy goods cheaper 
from Europe than they could from the North because 
labor was cheaper in Europe. 

The North urged Congress to lay a tariff for protec- 
tion on all goods brought in from Europe, so that it would 
raise the price for European goods, and the South would 
be compelled to buy from the North. 

The tariff of 1824 was higher than the tariff of 1816. 
The South greatly opposed the tariff of 1824. The manu- 
facturers made another demand for a still higher tariff* 
act, Avhich was passed 1828. This raised duties higher 
than they had ever been on woolens, iron, hemp, and 
other articles. The object of this tariff was to protect 
the home industries. The people of the South felt them- 



SECOND MONTH. 25 

selves wronged about this tariff, and South Carolina, 
even though a neAv tariff bill was passed in 1832 which 
modified the tariff of 1828, declared that after February 
1. 1833. she would pay no tariff'. . 

South Carolina believed in "State Rights," that 
meant any State had the right to disobey a law if the 
State thought that law was injurious to its welfare. She 
declared the tariff* act was null and void. It was indeed 
a serious situation. John C. Calhoun was a strong sup- 
porter of nullification. 

Preamble. 

We, the people of the United States, in order to form 
a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic 
tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote 
the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty 
to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish 
this Constitution for the United States of America. 

1-8-18. 

Congress shall have power to make all laws which 
shall be necessary and proper for carrying into execution 
the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by 
this Constitution in the government of the United States, 
or in any department or officer thereof. 

6-2. 

This Constitution, and the laws of the United States 
which shall be made in pursuance thereof, shall be the 
supreme law of the land. 

Amendment 9. 

The enumeration in the Constitution of certain 
rights shall not be construed to deny or disparage others 
;"etained by the people. 

Amendment 10. 

The powers not delegated to the United States by 
the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are 
reserved to the States respectively, or to the people. 
The Opening of he Erie Canal. 

The Erie Canal, begun in 1817, was open to travel in 
1825. It connects Lake Erie with the Hudson River, and 



26 SECOND -AIONTH. 

was built by the State of New York, through the efforts 
of Governor De Witt Clinton, who at the time was gov- 
ernor of Xew York. For many years any one who used 
the canal had to pay a toll, but later the people of Xew 
York abolished all toll on the canal. The effects of this 
canal were very important. It was the chief means that 
made New York City the commercial port of the region 
around the Great Lakes. Before the canal was built 
it cost ten dollars to ship a barrel of flour from Buf- 
falo to Albany. After the canal was built it cost thirty 
cents. Products from the West were sent to Eastern or 
European markets by means of the Erie canal. Large 
cities grew up all along the line of the canal, and made 
it easy for emigrants to reach the West. 

The Problem Under Jackson. 

South Carolina declared that after February 1. 1833, 
she would pay no tariff" and that she would leave the 
Union if she was compelled to do so. Although Jackson 
did not like the tariff' himself, yet, as it was a law, and 
he the President, he would see to it that it was obeyed. 
He ordered troops under General Scott, to South Caro- 
lina, to collect the customs. South Carolina declared she 
would secede from the Union. Henry Clay, the peace- 
maker, settled the trouble by compromise by getting a bill 
passed by Congress which provided for the gradual reduc- 
tion of the tariff. 

The Opening of the Erie Canal was Really an Important 
Event in Illinois History. 

The opening of the Erie Canal was really an event 
in Illinois history. It is cheaper to send products by 
water than by rail, and after the canal was dug these 
products were sent to a point (Chicago) on Lake Michi- 
gan, and from there it was sent through the lakes, the 
canal, and the Hudson River to New York City. From 
New York City it could be distributed throughout the 
East and sent abroad. 



SECOND MONTH. 27 

The Tariff and Nullification. 

The hrst tariff was in 1781). It was very low. In 
1791 Congress enacted the law that put an excise duty 
on distilled liquor. In 1816 another tariff act was passed. 
This was to protect the home manufacturers against for- 
eign competition. In 1824 a new tariff act was passed. 
It was considerably higher than the tariff of 1816. The 
South greatly opposed this, as they said it made goods 
which they wanted to buy from Europe much higher. In 
1828 another tariff act was passed. The people engaged 
in manufacturing demanded higher protection. Congress 
protected them. This raised the South to white-heat; 
they declared they would buy no goods from the North. 
They called the tariff of 1828 the tariff of abominations, 
and declared the North was growing rich while the South 
was gaining nothing. In 1832 another tariff law was 
passed. South Carolina said she could endure it no 
longer, and openly stated that if the Federal government 
should attempt to enforce the tariff acts she would with- 
draw from the Union. She declared the tariff law of 
1832 null and void in her territory. This was called nulli- 
fication. 

Compromise of 1833. 

Jackson sent a naval force under Farragut to Charles- 
ton harbor, and gave South Carolina to understand that 
he intended to have the Federal laws obeyed. Henry 
Clay, the peacemaker, settled the trouble by compromise, 
by getting a bill passed by Congress 1833, which provided 
for the gradual reduction of the tariff until 1842, when 
it would be as. low as it was in 1816. 

Webster and Hayne Debate (Strengthening of Nation). 

Hayne, Senator from South Carolina, declared when- 
ever the national government passed a law which was 
contrary to the Constitution of a State, that that State 
had a right to step in and prevent the law from going 
into effect. He declared nullification was constitutional. 
Hayne spoke for two days, and made a powerful speech. 



28 SECOND MONTH. 

Daniel Webster, Senator from ^lassachusetts, replied 
to Hayne's speech. Webster declared the Constitution 
was the people's Constitution, the people's government, 
made by the people and answerable to the people. He 
declared no State could declare a law unconstitutional, 
no one but the Supreme Court could do that. 

He said nullification would break up the Union ; also, 
if any State undertook to leave the Union, it was the 
duty of the National government to compel it to come 
back. He closed his speech with the well-known Avords, 
''Liberty and Union now and forever, one and insepar- 
able." From. that time on he was known as the greatest 
orator of America. Webster's speech strengthened the 
Union, but of course the trouble was not settled until 
the Civil W^ar, when Webster's views were adopted. 

The Bank Question. (Jackson Here for State.) The Weak 
Point in Bank Control, Therefore Jackson's Objec- 
tions. Pet Banks ; Panic, and Later Van Buren's 

Solution in Independent Treasury. 
President Jackson disliked the United States Bank : 
he had doubts as to whether the government had power 
to establish such a bank. The charter of the United 
States Bank was to expire in 1836. Jackson Avas deter- 
mined to destroy this bank, for its managers were his 
political enemies. He declared the bank was a monopoly, 
and that its stock was owned by a few hundred wealthy 
men, and a number of foreign capitalists abroad. When 
the friends of the bank wanted a new^ charter and the bill 
went to Jackson, he vetoed it. Congress was not able to 
pass the bill over his veto, and the bank ceased to exist. 
Jackson ordered the government money to be taken out 
and put in State Banks, nicknamed "pet banks," for these 
State Banks were managed by his political friends. 

Jackson's policy led to bad banking. Many banks 
started up with scarcely no capital, the ease with which 
people could borrow money led to great speculation ; in 
fact, almost everybody was borrowing paper money from 
the banks and speculating. Great sums of irredeemable 



SECOND MONTH. 29 

paper money were issued. Jackson, seeing how the coun- 
try was flooded wath "cheap paper money," issued his 
"specie circular," which demanded that public hinds 
should be paid for in gold and silver. The gold and silver 
was soon gathered into the United States Treasury, and 
in order to get the gold and silver with which to buy 
lands, the speculators called upon the banks to redeem 
their notes. Alany banks were unable to do so, and the 
money became scarce, merchants failed, the price of 'cot- 
ton fell, and a panic swept over the country. It was one 
of the most painful crises in our financial history. The 
majority of the people were not satisfied that the govern- 
ment should keep its money in State Banks, but just 
what should be done with it was a question to be settled. 
President Van Buren proposed the Sub-Treasury system, 
which called for the establishment of a Treasury at Wash- 
ington, with subordinate Treasurers in other large cities. 
This plan became a law in 1840. It was repealed in 1841, 
again adopted in 1846, and is still in force. The govern- 
ment built the chief Treasury at Washington, and the 
smaller Treasuries at New York, Boston, Charleston, 
Chicago, St. Louis, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, San Fran- 
cisco, New Orleans, and Baltimore. All the money that 
was received by the government collectors was to be paid 
over to the officers of these Treasuries, who were to pay 
it out whenever ordered to do so by the Treasury Depart- 
ment at Washington. This excellent system is still in 
force. 

Extent to Which the National Government's Authority 
Has Been Recognized. 

When the Pennsylvania whisky distillers declared 
they would pay no tax on whisky, AVashington sent 
troops to Pennsylvania, and the trouble quieted without 
a battle. The people were under a strong National gov- 
ernment that could and would enforce its laws. 

When South Carolina declared she would pay no 
tariff, and would leave the Union if compelled to do so, 



30 SECOND MONTH. 

President Jackson ordered troops under General Scott, 
to South Carolina, and the tariff was collected. 

The people were beginning- to see that the authority 
of the National government had to be recognized. 

The Period of Weakness Under the Articles of Confed- 
eration. 

Under the Articles of Confederation the government 
could not enforce its laws. 

At the close of the Revolutionary War, trouble arose 
between Congress and the soldiers. The soldiers thought 
they ought to be paid their back wages before they would 
disband. Matters grew so serious that the soldiers were 
going to attack Congress. Washington prevented fur- 
ther trouble, but it seemed as though the people were 
losing all respect for the government. 

Daniel Shays, of Massachusetts, led a rebellion 
ao-ainst the courts and sheriffs, for he thousfht it was 
wrong to send men to prison who were unable to pay 
their debts. He also threatened to seize the United States 
arsenal at Springfield. A strong military force dispersed 
Shay's army, and forced him to leave the State. This 
emphasized the need of a strong Federal government 
and helped insure the framing of a new and better Con- 
stitution. 

The States also had trouble Avith each other in regard 
to their boundaries and their trade. One State, when it 
sold articles to another, was compelled to pay a tax for 
the right of doing so. 

It was quite sure w^hen Europe heard of this, she 
thought our Union could not exist long under such con- 
ditions. 
INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE UNITED 

STATES UP TO 1860. 
Colonial Period. To What Extent the Mother Country 

Aided the Industries, and to What Extent She 
Suppressed Them, and Why. 

History records very little of how the Mother Coun- 
try aided the industries in the colonies. 



SECOND MONTH. 31 

England seemed to think the American colonies 
existed for the sole purpose for her to derive benefits 
from. She passed a Navigation Act 1660 which provided 
that no goods should be imported into the colonies except 
in British vessels. She did this in order to increase the 
number of her ships and sailors. Soon after she passed 
a very unjust law regulating manufactures. She would 
allow no iron works in America ; all iron had to be sent 
to England to be manufactured in hatchets, axes, knives, 
and things of that sort. She did this in order to help her 
iron makers and keep the colonies dependent. The 
•coionists could raise sheep, but all wool had to be 
sent to England to be manufactured into cloth. This 
would protect the English woolen mills. In order to pro- 
tect the English farmers, corn laws were passed which 
levied a tariff on all kinds of grain shipped from the colo- 
nies to the ports of Great Britain. All furs, fish, tar, 
turpentine, and ship timber had to be sent to England. 

England suppressed the colonies in many ways in 
order to build up her own country ; it seems as though 
she cared for them only as- a source of revenue. 

CONDITIONS IN THE COLONIES. 
Characteristic Industries of New England. 

The New England Colonies embraced New^ Hamp- 
shire. Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. In 
New England the climate and soil were not favorable for 
farming, and the people devoted their time to fishing and 
commerce. A great many codfish were caught off the 
coast of Newfoundland, besides a great many whales 
were caught for their oil. 

For several years the -New England States made a 
great deal of money by trading with the Dutch, English, 
and Spanish West Indies by sending them lumber and 
fish and bringing back molasses and sugar. 

England had passed restrictive trade laws, but they 
had not been strictly enforced. 

Not many manufactures existed, for they were for- 
bidden hv Eno-land. 



32 SECOND MONTH. 

Industries in the Middle Colonies. 
The Middle Colonies embraced New York, New Jer- 
sey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware. The leading occupa- 
tions of the people of these colonies were farming, com- 
merce, and the manufacture of flour. Lumbering and 
fur trading were also important. 

Industries in the Southern Colonies. 

The Southern Colonies embraced Alaryland, A'irginia, 
North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia. The habits 
of the people, their occupations, and their modes of life 
in each group were widely different from each of the other 
groups. The leading- industries of the people of the 
Southern Colonies were farming and lumbering. Their 
chief crops were tobacco, rice, and indigo. North Caro- 
lina w^as noted for the pine forests. The greater part of 
the work in the Southern Colonies was done by the 
slaves. 

REVOLUTIONARY WAR PERIOD , 1775-1783. 

Effect of the War on Commerce and Manufacturing. Dis- 
tressed Condition of the Country. 

The people had been engaged in war with England 
so long that all trade had been ruined, and manufactur- 
ing had been neglected. The treasury was empty. Crops 
had been destroyed, and villages had been burned. The 
soldiers who had fought in the war wanted their pay; 
they petitioned Congress, ^ut received no satisfaction. — 
Barnes, p. 142. 

NATIONAL BEGINNINGS. 

Hamilton's Tariff of 1789 and Its Natural Result upon 
Industries. 

Alexander Hamilton had been appointed Secretary 
of the Treasury by Washington. Of course, after the 
Revolutionary War, a heavy debt remained, and Hamil- 
ton proposed the first tariff act. It was passed 1789, and 
was a very low tariff. By this act duties were levied on 
imports, and such articles as iron, hemp, cotton, and other 
articles were slightly protected. The money raised by 



SECOND MONTH. 33 

this tariff was used to pay the countries that had loaned 
us money to carry on the war, also to pay back the money 
that had been borrowed from our citizens. By promptly 
makino- an effort to pay our debts, put the United States 
on a sound base, and established our national credit. 

This tariff also protected our native manufactures; 
had no tariff been laid, other countries would have flood- 
ed in their manufactured goods which could be manufac- 
tured cheaper than ours because labor was cheaper in 
Europe, and the result would have been that they would 
have driven our factories out of business. 

Conditions Concerning Farm Machinery in 1800. 

A great majority of the people in 1800 were farmers.. 
Their machinery for tilling the soil was very rude. Up 
to 1800 they had used the sickle to cut the grain. In 1800 
they used the cradle. Their plows were such as had been 
used for hundreds of years, and when the first cast plows 
w^ere invented the farmers would not use them for fear 
they would poison the ground. In 1800 the fan mill was 
invented. By this invention the grain could be cleaned 
after it was threshed. Our inventions grew rapidly after 
1790, for that year Congress provided that an inventor 
should be granted a patent. These patents are good for 
a term of seventeen years. 

Results of War of 1812 Upon Commerce, Therefore Tariff 

of 1816, Therefore Effect Upon Manufacturing, 

Shipping, Coast Trade, Foreign. 

Soon after the close of the war of 1812, our com- 
merce revived, and transportation facilities were im- 
proved. When the war ended and we were at peace 
again with England, she began to send over so much 
goods and sold so low that our mills were again afraid 
of being ruined and asked Congress to raise the tariff. 
Congress answered and passed the tariff act of 1816. 
Manufactories began to thrive, and new ones were soon 
established, and the oceans were soon whitened with the 
sails of ships. This tariff was imposed not so much for 
revenue as it was for protection. 



34 SECOND MONTH. 

During the period non-intercourse, all vessels en- 
gaged in coast-wise trade and carrying American products 
had to pay fifty cents a ton for each of hold capacity 
at every entry, unless they were both built and owned 
in the United States. This exclusion of foreign vessels 
greatly increased our coast trade. By a law of 1817 all 
goods' taken on board a foreign vessel to be transported 
from one United States port to another w^ere forfeited. 
This gave American vessels a monopoly of our coast 
trade. Meanwhile, however, efforts were being made to 
improve transportation by land by building roads. This 
soon furnished serious competition for the shipping in- 
terests. 

After war was declared in 1812 British vessels swarm- 
ed about our shores, and as a result imports and exports 
greatly declined. In 1814 they were only one-seventh of 
what they were in 1810, as the English captured so many 
of our vssels and so much risk was involved. Foreign 
commerce rapidly recovered at the close of the war, and 
in 1816 was sixteen times as great as in 1814. After 1816 
it began to decline, because of the tariff' of 1816 which 
discouraged imports, the development of home manufac- 
tures, and especially because of the reciprocity arrangements 
with European countries which removed the discriminating 
dutis which protected our vessels against foreign com- 
petition. 

Importance of Sam'l Slater's Work. The "Industrial Mir- 
acle" in Manufacturing Cotton and Wool. 

Samuel Slater was the founder of the cotton spinning 
industry in the United States. He was born in England, 
and acquired a thorough knowledge of the cotton-spin 
ning industry. He secretly left England at night for fear 
attempts w^ould be made to prevent him from carrying 
his knowledge to a foreign country. Slater's first cotton 
mill was set up in Rhode Island ; later he set up cotton 
mills in Massachusetts. Between the years 1815 and 1816 
he also set up many woolen mills. 



SECOND MONTH. 35 

In spite of the legislative encouragement that had 
been given to manufacturers, we w^ere still an agricultural 
nation at the beginning of the last century. We exported 
our food products and raw materials and imported manu- 
factured goods to supply our home markets. This carry- 
ing of cargoes both ways brought double profits to the 
shipping interests, but discouraged manufactures. The 
embargo, non-intercourse acts, and the war of 1812 gave 
American manufacturers almost a monopoly of our mar- 
kets for several years, hence much capital was withdrawn 
from shipping and invested in cotton mills and factories. 

In 1804 there were only four successfully operated 
cotton mills ; but with the exclusion of English goods 
from the market came a period of wonderful progress. In 
1807 there were fifteen spinning mills ; in 1811 there were 
eighty-seven, employing four thousand men. Four years 
later there were seventy-six persons employed in this 
industry. 

As yet the yarn spun in these mills was woven into 
cloth on hand looms in the homes. England had used 
power looms for twenty-five years, and many efforts had 
been made to install them here. Finally, Francis Lowell, 
on his return from Europe in 1814, constructed the first 
successful power loom, and built in Waltham the first 
cotton mill, where the spinning, weaving, and printing 
were done in one building. This was a great success, and 
other factories were soon equipped with power looms. 
Great improvements were made in carding, spinning, and 
weaving, and the work was so simple that the looms could 
be tended by women, and the spindles by children. In 
1810 the value of our manufactures was $4,000,000; in 
1815 $19,000,000, or nearly all we needed. 

Woolen manufactures were greatly retarded on ac- 
count of a scarcity of wool. Up to 1810 most of our wool 
was imported ; but even before that, farmers had begun 
to import Merino sheep from Spain, and at the close of 
the war were receiving two to three dollars a pound for 
their fleeces. The machinery used in the manufacture of 
cotton was soon adapted to that of wool, and in 1828 a 



36 SECOND MONTH. 

complete woolen factory, with carding, spinning and 
weaving machinery, all run by water power, was in opera- 
tion. 

THE TRANSPORTATION PROBLEM. 

Review of Conditions as Seen by Washington's Trip From 

Mt. Vernon to His Inauguration. 

At this time a great need was seen by every one for 
the improvement of the roads. In many places nothing- 
better than Indian trails took the place of roads. 

Washington made the trip from Mount Vernon to 
New York City by carriage. Our Revolutionary ances- 
tors prided themselves greatly on their commodious stage 
coach lines, and their frequent relays of horses and hot 
meals ready and waiting at the inns. They thought it 
no great hardship to spend the nights of a long trip in 
the hostelries. Though the regular time was five days, 
it took Washington a week because of the many ovations 
given him in the towns through which he passed. A 
President would now make the trip on a special train in 
fewer hours than Washington took days. 

Conditions of Roads as Seen by the Expeditions of Lewis 
and Clark, Pike and Fremont. 

The early explorers and emigrants going to the West 
had no good roads except the natural routes by rivers, 
lakes, gulfs, and mountain passes. Lewis and Clark used 
the Missouri River until they came to the ''Gates of the 
Rocky Mountains"; after crossing the mountains they 
embarked on the Clear Water River ; they traveled on 
this until they c^me to the Columbia River, which carried 
them to the sea. 

Pike also used the rivers to a great extent ; he used 
the Missouri River until he came to the Osage ; he trav- 
eled up the Osage nearly to its source; he then struck 
across the country to the Arkansas ; he sailed up this 
until he came to its headwaters, where he discovered the 
fine mountain which bears his name. After his discovery, 
he wanted to return by way of the Red River. A deep. 



SECOND MONTH. 37 

snow lay on the ground, and by mistake he sailed on the 
Rio Grande into Spanish soil. The Spaniards seized and 
took him to Santa Fe. He was finally released, and at 
last, after a great many hardships, he and his men reached 
home by way of Texas and Mexico. 

Fremont made three explorations through the West. 
In 184:2 Congress sent him to see whether the South Pass 
through the Rocky Mountains was the best place for the 
emigrants to cross. In company with Kit Carson, for a 
guide, he followed wagon trails until he came to the Pass. 
Crossing the mountains, he discovered the peak which 
bears his name. In 1843 he started out again and travr 
elled over the same route he had travelled in 1842. This 
time he pushed on to Great Salt Lake, and from there to 
the Columbia River, as far as Fort Vancouver. From 
.here he returned and reached home in 1844. In 1845 he 
set out again for California. Because he had made so 
manv journevs over this Western country, he was known 
as the 'Tathfinder." 

Natural Routes by Rivers, Gulfs, Lakes, Oceans, Etc., 
and by Passes Through Mountains. 

As the people moved further and further Westward, 
the demand grew greater and greater for a road to con- 
nect the Western settlements with the East. All the 
roads up to this time were simply paths and were often 
very rugged, and when the Western settlements sent 
their goods to the East, the roads were so bad that it took 
them so long to take them that it made the goods so high 
that the frontiersmen could not buy them. As late as 
1790 there were no bridges over the rivers. 

Almost all shipping had to be done by the natural 
routes, which were by the lakes, rivers, and oceans. The 
mountains in many places contained passes which were 
well known and quite frequently used. 

When Jefferson became President, in his second in- 
augural address, he suggested that an amendment should 
be made to the Constitution which would divide the sur- 



38 SECOND MONTH. 

plus revenue among the States, and the States to use it 
to improve the rivers, roads, etc. 

Many people were like Fisher Ames, and thought 
that unless some means could be provided to bring cheap 
and rapid transportation between the East and West, 
that this country was too big for union. 

Fulton's Steamboat and Its Possibilities. 

One of the most perplexing questions of the times 
was solved when Robert Fulton, a Pennsylvanian, in 1807 
invented the first successful steamboat. Before this time 
sailing vessels had been used, and it took them three days 
to travel the distance Fulton's steamboat could travel in 
thirty-two hours. Within eleven years after Fulton's in- 
vention steamboats were seen on the principal rivers and. 
also on several of the Great Lakes. The invention of the 
steamboat did a great deal toward building up the West. 
Communication was much easier and safer. 

The name of Fulton's steamboat was the "Clermont," 
and its first voyage was from New York to Albany. 

Developed Roads. (The Question of National Aid for Im- 
provements.) 

The question of "new roads" was the leading 
one of the day. It was also the great political question. 
"Shall these internal improvements be made at the ex- 
pense of the government of the nation or by the States?" 
The people of the South favored the latter opinion, while 
the people of the North favored the former. The National 
Republicans favored the measure, while the Democrat- 
Republicans were opposed to it. 

Wagon Roads; Old Military Roads, e. g., Braddock's 
Road; Cumberland Road; the National Road. 

In the early days the absence of wagon roads greatly 
delayed the generals in time of war. When General 
Braddock marched through the woods with his soldiers, 
it was necessary to send a body of men before the army 
to chop a road from Fort Cumberland to Fort Duquesne. 
No wheeled carriages were used until the middle of the 



SECOND MONTH. 39 

eighteenth century, all travel was done either by horse- 
back or on foot. 

The National Cumberland Road extended from Cum- 
berland, ^laryland, westward to Wheeling on the Ohio, 
and later it was built to the Mississippi River. The peo- 
ple had no road or way to travel, simply had to follow 
Indian trails; but after the country west of the Alle- 
ghanies began to be settled, the government saw the need 
of a road, and therefore built the National Cumberland 
Road. It was thrown open to travel, 1818. Later, when 
railroads came into use, the National Road lost some of 
its importance. It was a broad, smooth, and solid high- 
way. It cost over six millions of dollars, and the traffic 
over it was immense. 

Internal Improvements. Canals in Illinois. The Erie Ca- 
nal; Illinois-Michigan Canal; Possibility of 
Other Canals. 

Other internal improvements were the canals. The 
leading canals of Illinois are the Illinois-Michigan Canal, 
Chicago Drainage Canal, and the Illinois-Mississippi or 
Hennepin Canal. 

"The Chicago-Michigan Canal" connects Lake Michi- 
gan with the Chicago River. The work on this canal was 
begun 1836, and completed 1848. It cost $12,000,000. The 
canal has been a very important factor in the commerce 
of the State, but when railroads were built the canal lost 
its impGi-fance. 

"The Chicago Drainage Canal" was begun 1S92. It 
was completed in 1900. It is intended to serve the sani- 
tation of the City of Chicago, and as a part of the deep 
waterway from the Great Lakes to the Gulf of INIexico. 

The "Hennepin Canal" connecting the Illinois and 
]\Iississippi rivers is now being dug. 

After people learned of the success of the Erie Canal, 
a rage for other canals soon spread over the country, for 
many people thought it would be a good plan to have all 
parts of the country connected by canals and railroads. 
Many canals were started and never completed, while 



40 SECOND MONTH. 

many were talked of and never started at all. By 1830, 
United States had almost fourteen hundred miles of ca- 
nals. Pennsylvania, shortly after the Erie canal was 
built, completed a canal from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh. 

Railroads and Their Influence Upon the Development 
of the West. 

The first freight and passenger railroad in the 
United States extended westward from Baltimore thir- 
teen miles and formed a part of what is now known as 
the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. This railroad was be- 
gun by Charles Carroll, of Carrollton. Striking his spade 
into the ground he said, 'T consider this among the most 
important acts of my life, second only to that of signing 
the Declaration of Independence, if second to that." 

At first the cars were drawn by horses. In 1830 
Peter Cooper built the first locomotive in onr country. 
This locomotive was put on the new railroad. 

About the year 1850 railroads were built westward. 
New lands for the emigrant were now opened and the 
railroad did more for the development of the West than 
anything else, for wherever railroads went towns and 
cities sprung up and products could be taken from one 
place to another. It formed a unity of our country and 
made it easier to govern. 

Wt now have more than two hundred and twenty- 
five thousand mil,es in the United States. We have more 
than any other country. 

The New York Central. 

Cornelius Vanderbilt in 1<S69 consolidated about six- 
teen different fragments of railroads into one great road 
called the New York Central. To these he joined the 
Lake Shore and Michigan Southern. Thus it might be 
said that the New York Central embraces the entire 
route from New York to Chicago. This Vanderbilt sys- 
tem now has a total of some twentv thousand miles. 



SECOND MONTH. 41 

The Pennsylvania Railroad, the First Road Through 
Northern Illinois, First to the Mississippi River. 

In New York there was a chain of little roads reach- 
ing across the State. The first was the "Mohawk and 
Hudson." extending from Albany to Schenectady, where 
it connected with the Erie Canal. This was opened in 
1831, but it was not until twelve years later that they 
extended all. the way to Buffalo. Finally they were gath- 
ered together into the powerful "New York Central," and 
soon after the close of the war Commodore Vanderbilt 
merged all these with his own the "New York and 
Harlem," into the "New York Central" and "Hudson 
River Railroad." This system rapidly spread and absorbed 
and consolidated with other railroads until it extended to 
every part of New York. 

Similarly in Pennsylvania there were many short 
lines extending from the anthracite coal region to the 
coast. These were bought up by the "Pennsylvania 
Railroad." which was the first road west through the 
Alleghanies to Pittsburgh. The "Pennsylvania" thus 
gained a monopoly of all the transportation routes from 
Pittsburg to the coast. Its lines are carrying one-fourth 
of the freight of the United States, largely coke, coal and 
iron and steel manufactures. This road and the "New 
York Central" illustrate well one of the most important 
chapters in the history of railroading — how nearly all 
the small lines of the United States have been gathered 
together by capitalists into a few powerful systems. 

The first road through Northern Illinois was the 
"Galena and Chicago Union," which was the cornerstone 
of the "'Chicago and Northwestern." It was not until 
1847 that the first ten miles from the Chicago River to 
the Des Plaines were started. The first locomotive w^as 
second hand as were also the rails, which were of the 
strap A'ariety — thin strips of iron on wooden rails. 

This road was the first to reach the Mississippi (1855). 



42 SECOND MONTH. 

GREAT INVENTIONS. AGRICULTURAL. 
McCormick Reaper. 
Cyrus McCormick of Chicago invented a reaper to be 
drawn by horses in 1832. It was patented in 1834. Mc- 
Cormick was a native of Virginia. Up to the time that 
the reaper was invented the farmers used a scythe to 
mow the grain. After this great invention the farmers 
could grow more wheat, and it reduced the cost of bread. 
At first the people had no faith in McCormick's invention 
and it was almost ten years before a machine could be 
sold. Many people consider the reaper next to the loco- 
motive or cotton gin, while others declare it is the great- 
est agricultural invention. Without the reaper the great 
grain fields of the ^Middle West and Far West would be 
impossible. 

Marsh Harvester. (An Illinois Invention.) 

The Marsh Harvester has superseded the McCormick 
Reaper on the great wheat fields of the West. This ma- 
chine cuts the grain, threshes it, cleans it and puts it into 
sacks. Sometimes it requires thirty horse to draw them 
through the fields. Sometimes they are propelled by 
steam or gasoline. These machines promote agriculture 
on a large scale. 

About two hundred thousand are sold every year. 
The Marsh Harvester was patented in 1858 by C. W. 
and W. W. Marsh of Illinois. The first machine was 
constructed on their farm. 

Barbed Wire. 

^^■ith the development of this prairie country, the 
farmer was confronted with a new problem as to fenc- 
ing. Fields were large and fencing material was scarce 
or totally lacking. When obtainable it was costly and 
the building process was slow and expensive. So in the 
early '70's, a number of men in this region began to ex- 
periment, with the purpose of solving the problem. In 
the Museum of History in DeKalb, Illinois, are fifteen or 
twenty dififerent specimens of these experiments. Some 
of them were a success and others were not. 



SECOND MONTH. 43 

In DeKalb, Illinois, Mr. Isaac Elwood, Mr. Joseph 
Glidden, and Mr. Jacob Haish were working on the prob- 
lem at the same time. Mr. Elwood soon abandoned his 
own efforts and entered into partnership with Mr. Glid- 
den, both pushing- the invention of Mr. Glidden. The 
Glidden and Haish inventions were patented at almost 
the same time. Long litigation ended in the courts 
awarding to Mr. Glidden the honor of being the inven- 
tor of barb wire. Mr. Haish's wire is a variety, and is 
commonly considered second in the race for priority. 

Note — A pamphlet on Barbed Wire may be secured by 
writing to Mr. Haish, DeKalb, Illinois. His pamphlet 
gives the whole story. 

The Telegraph. 

The telegraph was invented by Samuel F. B. Morse 
in 1832. At first it was not a success for it would carry 
a message only a short distance, finally after many trials 
he invented a relay magnet that would catch the sound 
and send it on. Morse received an appropriation of 
$30,000 from Congress to build a line between Baltimore 
and Washington. In 1844 with this money from Con- 
gress and with what he had, the line was built; it was 
about forty miles long, and the first message sent over it 
was, "What hath God wrought." 

The telegraph is very important to us especially in war 
times, for commands can be sent so rapidly to armies. 
Long lines of railroads can also be operated from one of- 
fie. It does much to unite the people of the different 
sections of the country. 

Messages can be sent through the air without the use 
of wires. This is called wireless telegraphy. It is used 
mostly by steam ships and naval vessels, and was in- 
vented by Marconi, an Italian. 

Lucifer Match. 

The lucifer match was the first true friction match and 
was invented in 1827. Before this they had brimstone 
matches — splints of wood dipped in sulphur and ignited 
by a spark struck from flint and steel into a tinder box. 



44 SECOND MONTH. 

Later the "instanteous light box" was in use. It con- 
tained a small vial of asbestos fiber soaked with sul- 
phuric acid, and small splints of wood dipped in a sulphur 
preparation. These ignited when dipped into the acid. 

The lucifer match was a great improvement over these 
earlier ones, for it was ignited by passing it through a 
bent piece of sand paper. The lucifer was a sulphur 
match. It was several years before phosphorus was used. 

MANUFACTURING AND THE TARIFF AFTER 

1816. 
The Policy of Protection. 

"See pages 19 and 20." 

Nullification of South Carolina. 
''See pages 24 and 25." 

Compromise of 1833. 

"See page 27." 

EFFECT OF JACKSONIAN POLICY UPON 

INDUSTRIES. 

Policy and Bank. 

''See pages 28 and 29." 

Panic of 1837. 
"See pages 28 and 29." 

Organization of Independent Treasury. 
"See page 29." 



Third Month. 



SLAVERY IN THE UNITED STATES- 
SECESSION. 
Introduction. When. Where. Why There. 

In 1619, a vessel belonging to the Dutch sailed up the 
James River and anchored before Jamestown. It carried 
twenty negroes, which had been kidnapped on the coast 
of Africa. 

As tobacco had grown to be a great product of Vir- 
ginia, and its cultivation a great industry, the Virginia 
planters at once bought the negroes from the Dutch. In 
this way slavery began in America, and was carried into 
all the colonies. No one at that time thought it was 
wjong to own slaves. 

Increase in Different Colonies in Early Times. 

Slavery spread over all the colonies, but the greatest 
number was found in Virginia and other Southern colon- 
ies, where the climate, soil, and occupation especially 
favored slaver}-. The fewest number of slaves Avere 
found in New England. Slavery gradually died out in 
the North, while it constantly increased in the South. 
In the North the owners of the factories and mills did 
not care for the negro labor, for the slaves were not paid 
for their work and naturally grew very careless, there- 
fore the North could not use them in the factories. But 
in the South conditions were different. The climate 
was hot. The people lived on great plantations and 
raised cotton, rice, and tobacco. They cared nothing for 
manufactories, for they could buy their goods so cheap 
from Europe that they did not care to build any. The 
sjaves did all the work on the plantations and the South- 
ern people felt as though they could not get along with- 
out them. 



46 THIRD MONTH. 

Introduction of Slavery Into Illinois. 

Phillipe Francois de Renault bought in San Domingo 
about five hundred Guinea negroes to work in the pro- 
vince of Louisiana. He did not take them all to Louisi- 
ana, but left a large number of them in Illinois. It is 
said that within three years there were at least one 
thousand in the Mississipi Valley. 

ATTITUDE TOWARD IMPORTATION. 

Of Mother County as Seen by Knighting of Captain 

John Hawkins. 

Captain John Hawkins was a famous sailor. He 
would capture negroes on tiie coast of Guinea, and take 
them to the West Indies, where the Spaniards would 
purchase them for slaves. He carried on this work for 
England. In early days it was thought no more wrong 
to sell a negro than it was to sell a horse or cow. In 
fact Captain Hawkins would often boast that he was 
one of the principal founders of the slave trade, and when 
he was made a knight he took as part of his coat-of- 
arms a negro bound with a cord. The slave trade was 
very inhuman, many times the negroes were crowded 
on ships until many died on the passage. The slave 
trade Avas allowed with United States until 1808, after 
that year no slaves came in except those that were 
smuggled. 

As Seen by Treaty at the End of Queen Anne's War. 

One of the provisions of the treaty of Utrecht at the 
close of Queen Anne's war with England secured the 
right to sell the Spanish-American colonies not less than 
four thousand eight hundred negro slaves every year. 
England was selfish and wanted to make money by sell- 
ing slaves to the colonists. 

As Seen by Stock Companies. 

The king and queen were shareholders in the stock 
companies that were organized to engage in the slave 
trade. They often derived large incomes from this slave 
trade. 



THIRD MONTH. 47 

As Seen by Acts of Parliament. 

When Virginia tried to rid herself of the slave trade, 
and tried to pass laws prohibiting their importation, 
Parliarrient instructed the royal governors of the colonies 
to veto the acts. It seems like the slave trade w^as forced 
upon the colonists. Every time the Colonial Legisla- 
tures would pass acts forbidding slave trade, every time 
the royal governors would veto the acts. Some of the 
great A'irginians who opposed slavery were Patrick 
Henry, George Mason, Randolph, and Washington. 

As Seen by the First Draft of the Declaration of 
Independence. 

Jefferson, in his first draft of the Declaration of Inde- 
pendence, stated that one reason why United States 
w^oiild be justified in separating from Great Britain was 
because the king encouraged the slave trade. 

South Carolina and Georgia's Industries. 

Rice was introduced in South Carolina and for a num- 
ber of years it was the principal export from South Caro- 
lina. It was grown principally in the Southern swampy 
grounds, where it was very unhealthy for white people. 
In order to cultivate the rice, negro slaves were brought 
into the colony. The seed was obtained from Thomas 
Smith, Avho got it from a sea captain from Madagascar. 

Indigo was planted in South Carolina, and became a 
leading export for about forty-five years. Besides ex- 
porting rice and indigo a few bags of cotton were sent 
from Charleston to Liverpool, but the exporting of cot- 
ton did not amount to much until after the invention of 
the cotton gin, the people then planted such large fields 
that slaves were needed, and slavery grew rapidly. 

As the mulberry tre grew wild in Georgia, Oglethorpe 
thought the colony would soon grow rich by raising silk 
worms. Silkworms feed upon the leaves of the mulberry 
tree. If his colony could supply England, she would not 
need to buy silk from Italy. Besides, Oglethorpe hated 
slavery, and he knew that the culture of silk would be 
so easy that the women and children could take part in 



48 THIRD :M0NTH. 

it and no slaves would be needed. Oglethorpe thought 
that any person who would keep a slave would be guilty 
of a great crime. 

Silk culture ended in a failure, and later, 1T49, slaves 
were introduced. 

THE ACTS OF THE UNITED STATES WHEN 

INDEPENDENT. 

Attempts to Evoke the Ordinance in Illinois. 

Slavery was introduced in Illinois by Phillipe Renault. 

When the Ordinance of 1787 w^as passed, Article Six of 
that ordinance provided : 

"That there shall be neither slavery nor involuntary 
servitude in the said territory, otherwise than in the 
punishment of crimes, whereof the party shall have been 
duly convicted." 

Four attempts were made to get Congress to annul 
this sixth article. The first petition was sent to Con- 
gress in January, 1796, the second in 1799, a third in 
1800, and a fourth in 1802. All petitions sent to Congress 
to annul this sixth article came to nothing. 

Ordinance of 1787. 

The Ordinance of 1787 was a law for the government 
of the territory northw^est of the Ohio River. This 
ordinance was passed by the Continental Congress before 
the government had been organized under the Consti- 
tution. 

Some of the provisions of this ordinance were : 

1. It gave freedom of worship to all. 

2. Provided for schools. 

3. Not less than three or more than five States should 
be formed from it. 

4. Provided for the right of trial by jury. 

5. The laws should be made by three judges acting 
with the governor. 

6. Slavery should not exist in the territory. 

7. Provided that whenever the territory should have 
sufficient population it should be divided into States^ and 



THIRD MONTH. 49 

the States should be admitted into the Union on equal 
terms with the original thirteen. 

The States of ^hio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and 
Wisconsin have been formed from it. 

Constitutional Rights of Slavery Concerning Representa- 
tion, 1-2-3. 

Representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned 
among the several States which may be included within 
this Union, according to their respective numbers, which 
shall be determined by adding to the whole number of 
free persons, including those bound to service for a 
term of years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three- 
fifths of all other persons. 

Concerning Importation. 

Congress shall not prohibit the importation of slaves 
before the year 1808. 

1-2-1. 

The House of Representatives shall be composed of 
members chosen every second year by people of the 
several States, and the electors in each State shall have 
the qualifications requisite for electors of the most nu- 
merous branch of the State legislature. 

Compromises Made and the Necessity for Them. 

Before the Constitution was to go into efifect it must 
be ratified by nine States ; before that ratification was 
secured a great difference of opinion arose on several 
matters. 

The large and small States could not agree; what 
suited the large States did not suit the small States. 
What suited the Northern States did not suit the South- 
ern States. 

The large States wanted Congress to consist of two 
houses with representation in proportion to population. 
The small States wanted Congress to consist of one 
House on equality of State representation. At last the 
trouble was settled by compromise. It was agreed that 
the members of the House of Representatives should be 
proportional, and the Senate should be composed of two 



50 THIRD MONTH. 

Senators from each State whether the State was large 
or small. The Representatives were to be elected by 
the people and the Senators were to be chosen by State 
Legislatures. This was the first compromise. 

Now the question arose whether slaves should be 
counted as population. The Northern States objected to 
slaves being counted. The Southern States wanted them 
counted. It was agreed that three-fifths of the slaves 
should be counted. This was the second compromise. 

The question now came up : Should Congress have 
power to regulate commerce? To this the Soifthern 
States objected because they thought Congress might 
pass navigation acts, limiting trade to American ships, 
w^hich might raise freights on exports from the South. 
The Northern States wanted slave trade stopped. The 
Southern States wanted it to go on. At last it was de- 
cided by compromise that Congress could pass naviga- 
tion acts, but that Congress could not forbid slave mas- 
ters to bring slaves from other countries into this prior 
to the year 1808. This was the third compromise. 

The Report of the Committee of 1790; The Quaker's Re- 
quest ; Appointment of the Committee ; Its Report ; 
The Significance of Its Decision. 

In February, 1790, the Quakers sent to Congress a me- 
morial in favor of emancipation, Franklin's name leading 
the list. "Equal liberty," asserted this petition, "was 
originally and still is the birthright of all men." Its 
plea to Congress w^as, "That you will promote mercy and 
justice toward this distressed race, and that you will 
step to the very verge of the power vested in you for 
discouraging every species of traffic in our fellowmen." 

This memorial greatly incensed the congressmen from 
the South, who held it a reflection upon the honor of 
Southern gentlemen, and reviled the Quakers in the most 
indecent language, called them cowards for not having 
served in the Revolutionary war, ridiculed their pe- 
culiarities, jeered at the solemn tone of the petition, and 
tried to keep the House from referrini^- it to a commit- 
tee, but in this the}' were unsuccessful. 



THIRD MONTH. 51 

The committee presented its report in the form of seven 
resolutions. Three of these denied the right of Congress 
to interfere in certain instances with slavery, and so 
were acceptable to the slavery element in Congress. 
Three affirmed the right of Congress to tax and regulate 
the slave trade within constitutional limits. The seventh, 
which Avas the most important of all, promised to pro- 
mote the humane interests of the petitioners in all mat- 
ters which would come under the authority of Congress. 

When the committee brought its report before the 
House, the attacks upon the Quakers were renewed and 
many impassioned speeches were made on both sides. 
After much wrangling the following resolutions were 
adopted: , 

1. That the migration or importation of such persons 
as any of the States now existing shall think proper to 
admit cannot be prohibited by Congress prior to the 
year 1808. 

2. That Congress have no power to interfere in the 
emancipation of slaves or in the treatment of them within 
any State. 

3. That Congress have authority to restrain the citi- 
zens of the United States from carrying on the African 
trade for the purpose of supplying foreigners with 
slaves, and of providing, by proper regulations, for the 
humane treatment of slaves while they are being trans- 
ported into the States. 

i. "That Congress have also authority to prohibit 
foreigners from fitting out vessels in any port of the 
United States for transporting persons from Africa to 
any foreign port." 

These resolutions adopted in this form were a great 
victory for slavery, for. in them the House defined its 
attitude toward slavery, and laid down the principles 
which were to guide it in all future legislation upon that 
subject. They discouraged the abolitionists and those 
who were agitating for the more humane treatment of 
slaves ; and gave assurance to the Southern States that 



52 THIRD MONTH. 

Congress would in no way whatever interfere with 
slavery in any State. 

Repassage of Ordinance of 1787 in 1790. 
The first Congress under the Constitution of 1790 re- 
enacted the Ordinance of 1787. This re-passage opened 
the Northwest Territory to immediate colonization. It 
began to be populated immediately and within the next 
two years 20,000 people settled there. It was then or- 
ganized as a territory, and St. Clair was appointed gov- 
ernor. The ordinance of 1790 also settled the dispute 
over the overlapping land grants. 

State Laws, Therefore by 1808, Free and Slave States 
of Original Thirteen. 

Several States freed their slaves by State laws. Of 
the original thirteen the following States w^ere freed by 
State laws: ^Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Pennsyl- 
vania, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, and New 
Jersey. These were all freed before the law of 1808 took 
efifect. 

Under the Constitution, Congress had no power to pro- 
hibit the migration or importation of slaves before the 
year 1808. 

The Cotton Gin and Its Influence Upon the Slavery 
Question. 

The cotton gin was invented by Eli Whitney of Mass- 
achusetts in 1793. Whitney lived in Georgia at the time 
he made his invention. It is a machine which separates 
the seeds from the wooh^ fiber of the cotton. It is nec- 
essary for the seeds to be removed from the cotton be- 
fore it can be manufactured into cloth. Before this in- 
vention this work had to be done by hand which was 
very slow. After the invention of the cotton gin the ne- 
gro slave, by the use of the gin was able to remove the 
seeds from one hundred times as much cotton as he 
could without it. The planters now planted larger 
fields, and imported more slaves, in fact, from that time 
on slaverv took a new life, and it is often said the cotton 



THIRD MONTH. 53 

gin did more than anything else to fasten slavery on 
the United States. It caused the North to build up great 
numbers of cotton mills. It also increased the value of 
the land at the South. 

Importation of Slaves, 1-9-1. 

The migration or importation of such persons as any 
of the States now existing shall think proper to admit, 
shall not be prohibited by the Congress prior to the 
year lS<»s. but a tax or duty may be imposed on such im- 
portati'jn, not exceeding ten dollars for each person. 

Law of 1808. (Why Not Passed Before?) 

In 1794, the exportation of slaves was forbidden by 
Congress, and in 1807 the importation was forbidden ; 
the act was to go into efifect in January, 1808. 

The reason the Law of 1808 was not passed before 
was because Georgia, North Carolina, and South Carolina 
declared if it was passed they would not accept the 
Constitution ; at last it was settled by compromise, and 
the North agreed to allow the slave trade to continue 
until 1808. 

Smuggling, Therefore Law of 1820. 

In spite of the law of 1808, it is estimated that about 
fifteen thousand negroes were smuggled into the United 
States every year. In 1830 Congress declared the slave 
trade piracy and punishable by death. Even this did 
not prevent it. It kept on until settled by the Civil War. 

Opposition of Virginia and Maryland to Importation. 
(Development of Breeding Industry.) 

A'iri;inia and Maryland were greatly opposed to im- 
portation of slaves, for they had developed a new indus- 
try, the raising of slaves. The slaves that they raised 
were sold to the Southern colonies. They thought if 
importation was continued it would ruin their profits de- 
rived from the raising of negroes. 

The Admission of Illinois. Slavery Clause of Its 
Constitution. 

Illinois was added to the Union in 1818. 



54 THIRD MONTH. 

Article VI of the Constitution of 181S provided that 
no negro slave should be brought from another State in- 
to this State to work except in the salt works near 
Shawneetown, and there only one year at a time, and that 
this should be prohibited after 1825. 

New States Up to 1820. 

The new States that had been admitted since 1T90 
were: Vermont 1791 (free), Kentucky 1792 (slave), 
Tennessee 1796 (slave), Ohio 1803 (free), Louisiana 
1812 (slave), Indiana 1816 (free), Mississippi 1817 
(slave), Illinois 1818 (free), Alabama 1819 (slave). 

THE STRUGGLE FOR POWER IN CONGRESS. 

Over the Louisiana Territory Resulting in the Missouri 

Compromise. 

In 1800 Spain gave Louisiana back to France ; this 
alarmed Jefferson for he was afraid we might have 
trouble with France, for it had been rumored that Na- 
poleon thought of starting a colony there. But in 
1803 France was about to enter into war with England, 
and as she owned Louisiana, she was afraid the English 
might seize it. She also needed the money to prepare 
for war. For these reasons she sold it to the United 
States in 1803 for $15,000,000. Many people grumbled 
at Jefferson because he purchased it while others sup- 
ported him. After all it was one of the most fortunate 
events in the history of the United States, for it more 
than doubled the area which we already owned, secured 
the free navigation of the Mississippi, and included the 
city of New Orleans. It was purchased by Robert Liv- 
ingston, who was our minister, and James Monroe, who 
was sent to France to make the purchase. 

By 1819, there were just as many free States as 
slave States. 

IMissouri was a part of the Louisiana territory, and 
as slavery was already established there when the United 
States purchased the territory, Missouri wanted to come 
in as a slave State. The North opposed this, for if ad- 
mitted as a slave State, the slave States would have 



THIRD MONTH. 55 

two senators more than the free States. At the same 
time Maine asked to be admitted into the Union. The 
Southern members of Congress would not vote to admn 
Maine as a free State unless Missouri would be allowed 
to come in as a slave State. After much debating- it was 
settled by compromise. 

Author of the Compromise Bill. Terms of the Com- 
promise. 

Senator Thomas, of Illinois, suggested the main pro- 
vision of the Missouri compromise. 

The compromise provided that Maine should come 
in as a free State, and Missouri should come in as a slave 
State, but that slavery should be forever prohibited in 
all the rest of the Louisiana purchase north of parallel 
36° 30'. This was the Southern boundary of Missouri 

4-3-2. 

Congress shall have power to dispose of and make 
all needful rules and regulations respecting the territory 
or other property belonging to the United States ; and 
nothins: in this Constitution shall be so construed as to 
prejudice any claims of the United States, or of any par- 
ticular State. 

1-4-2. 

The Congress shall assemble at least once in every 
year, and such meeting shall be on the first Monday in 
December, unless they shall by law appoint a different 
day. 

1-1-1. 
All legislative powers herein granted shall be vested 
in a Congress of the United States, which shall consist 
of a Senate and House of Representatives. 

Which Had the Best of the Bargain, and Why Did the 
Other Side Consent? 

The free States had the best of the bargain, for it 
gave a great territory from which free States might be 
made but verv little for slave States. 



56 THIRD MONTH. 

The South accepted it because it gave them Mis- 
souri and Arkansas, which seemed ample for expansion, 
as much of the South was still sparsely settled. Then 
little of the rest of the territory was adapted to slave 
labor. 

The Contest Over Illinois. The Condition of Illinois as 

to Ordinance of 1787. The Settlers in the Northern 

and Southern Parts. Efforts to Change the 

Constitution, and Edward Cole's Work. 

It must be remembered that Illinois was included, 
in the Northwest territory, and the Northwest territory 
was under a form of government known as the Ordinance 
of ITST. Article VI of the Ordinance forbade slavery. 

]\Iany of the early settlers of Illinois were from slave 
States, and when they came to Illinois they brought 
their slaves with them, in spite of the prohibition in the 
Ordinance. Besides one of the leading occupations in- 
Illinois in early days was the manufacture of salt in the 
neighborhood of Equality. This required slavish labor, 
and white men shrank from it, besides slave labor was 
cheap, and the owners of the salt mines could derive 
larger profits by employing the slaves. 

The Constitution of 1818 forbade slaves to be used 
in the salt works after 1825. The owners of the salt 
mines, and others from the Southern counties who w^ere 
in favor of slavery, wanted the Constitution changed. To 
call a Constitutional convention was left to a vote. It 
was voted on in 1824. At that time there were thirty 
counties in Illinois. The measure carried in eleven count- 
ties, tied in one, and was defeated in eighteen. The de- 
feat was due to the untiring efforts of Governor Coles, 
Morris Birbeck, Rev. J. M. Peck, and D. P. Cook. 

The following counties were in favor of slavery: 
Alexander, Pope, Gallatin, Franklin, Jackson, Randolph, 
Hamilton, White, Wayne, Fayette, and Jefferson. 

New States Between 1820 and 1845. 

]\Iaine, 1820 (free) ; Missouri, (1821 (slave) ; Arkan- 
sas, 1836 (slave); Michigan, 1837 (free). 



THIRD MONTH. 57 

Outlook For the Future. 
After Arkansas was admitted into the Union, Florida 
was the only territory that could be admitted as a slave 
State. The Southern people knew the North had a large 
territory north and west of 36° 30' from which free States 
could be formed ; they also knew that the North would 
soon have a larger free territory, greater population, 
wealth and political power than the South would have. 
The South knew that in order to be a match for the 
North, the only thing left for them south of 36° 30' was 
to try and get a hold on Texas. 

The Texas Problem. Spanish Texas. 

Spain owned Mexico until 1810, and Texas was 
originally a part of this Spanish province. 

The Story of Stephen Austin and Others. 

After Mexico had become a Republic in 1821, the 
Mexican government gave a large grant of land to 
Stephen Austin, and Austin, with a number of emigrants 
from the Southern States, began to make settlements on 
it. The region was in the northeastern part of the new 
republic, and was called Texas. Some of these emigrants 
owned slaves and took them with them. In 1829 the 
Mexican government abolished slavery. The emigrants 
refused to give up their slaves, and the next year Mexico 
refused to allow American migration to Texas. 

Terms of Treaty of 1819, When Florida Was Purchased. 

AVhen Louisiana was purchased from France in 1803, 
there was a dispute with Spain whether the boundary 
line of that province was at the Rio Grande or Sabine 
River. In 1819 the dispute was settled when w^e pur- 
chased Florida. It was agreed that United States should 
recognize the Sabine River as the western boundary of 
that province. 

Mexican Texas. 

Mexico (including Texas) had belonged to Spain, 
but in 1821 won her independence from Spain, and be- 
came known as the Mexican Republic. 



58 THIRD ^lONTH. 

Jackson's Efforts to Buy Texas. 

President John O. Adams in 182 T offered Mexico 
$1,000,000 for Texas, but Mexico refused to sell. Later, 
in 1829, Jackson offered ]^Iexico if^5,()00,0(M), but Mexico 
again refused to sell. 

Independent Texas. (Area Actually Claimed and Area 
Conquered.) Her Cause for War. Result; Her 
Prosperity ; Her Wish For Annexation ; Rea- 
sons For; Tyler's Action. 

By the year 1830 there were in Texas 30,000 colo- 
nists, mostly Americans, scattered along the coast be- 
tween the Sabine and Neuces River. This was the strip 
from which, under the leadership of Houston, Bowie, and 
Crockett, they succeeded in repelling the Mexicans. 
They claimed all west to the Rio Grande and its sources, 
and north to parallel 42, or at least five times as much as 
they had conquered. The Mexicans held that the land 
between the Neuces and Rio Grande had never been part 
of Texas ; but later President Polk insisted that when 
we annexed Texas we annexed all that Texas claimed. 

The Mexican government and the people of Texas 
could not get along with each other ; finally Texas being 
dissatisfied with the oppressive Mexican government, re- 
volted in 1833, and in 1835 the Texans rose in ^^ mass 
and drove out the Mexicans after hard fighting and pro- 
claimed a republic in 1836, and modeled it after United 
States. In 1837 United States, England, France, and 
Belgium acknowledged her independence. Soon after 
gaining her independence, Texas asked to be admitted 
into our Union, for many of her inhabitants thought 
the Texan government inefficient, and besides many were 
Americans and it was natural that they should want to 
be annexed to United States. The constitution of Texas 
allowed slavery, and of course this admission would 
bring about an angry discussion between the North and 
South. 

The fertile lands of Texas soon attracted many peo- 
ple, and it is said that within seven years twelve thousand 
Americans were livinsr in Texas. 



THIRD MONTH. 59 

When Texas applied for admission into the Union, 
two questions arose. The North knew that if Texas was 
annexed it would add a large territory to slavery. The 
South wanted it annexed for they wanted as much slave 
area as was possible to get. Again United States was 
well aware that Mexico would never willingly part with 
Texas, even though it was independent, Mexico claimed 
she had never acknowledged its independence. It was 
sure to bring on a war with Mexico. President Tyler 
wanted it annexed, and pushed it with all his might. The 
question came up again just before the expiration of 
Tyler's term. Many anti-slavery people were opposed to 
having it annexed on account of slavery. Again, when 
they thought of how much area it would add to our 
country, they were filled with pride. It was therefore 
annexed July 4, 1845. The South thought sure the}^ 
would gain at least four States, which would be carved 
out of the Texan Republic, but the Texans refused to 
have their immense State divided. This was a great dis- 
appointment to the South. 

Texas was the last slave State to enter the Union. 

1-7-3. 

Every order, resolution, or vote to which the con- 
currence of the Senate and House of Representatives 
may be necessary (except on a question of adjournment) 
shall be presented to the President of the United States ; 
and before the same shall take effect, shall be approved 
by him, or being disapproved by him, shall be repassed 
by two-thirds of the Senate and House of Representa- 
tives, according to the rules and limitations prescribed in 
the case of a bill. 

THE MEXICAN TERRITORY. 

Area Gained Through the Mexican War. (Real and 

Supposed Cause of War.) 

The war with Mexico was from 1846 to 1848. When 
the treaty of peace was signed it was agreed that United 
States was to pay Mexico $15,000,000, and $3,000,000 to 
American citizens who held claims against Mexico. The 



60 THIRD MONTH. 

United States gained California, Utah, New Mexico, Ne- 
A'ada, and Arizona and parts of Colorado and .Wyoming. 
Including Texas, United States gained at least nine mil- 
lion square miles of territory. In trying to make the 
Rio Grande to the Gila River the boundary line, another 
dispute arose with Mexico, and in 1853 a treaty was 
made with Mexico whereby United States paid Mexico 
$10,000,000 for a new tract of land just south of the 
Gila River. This is known as the Gadsden Purchase, 
after James Gadsden, who made the agreement. When 
Texas was annexed to the United States, Mexico had 
never given up her claim on it, and gave United States 
to understand that annexation would be a just cause 
for war. 

When Texas came into the Union, she claimed as 
her western boundary the Rio Grande River. Mexico 
claimed the Neuces River as the western boundary. 
President Polk thought the boundary should be at the 
Rio Grande River, therefore he ordered troops under 
General Taylor to seize the strip of land between the 
two rivers. 

The real cause of the war with Mexico was the an- 
nexation of Texas (more slave territory), and this led 
to the dispute in regard to the boundary line. 

Elson, in "Sidelights on American History," sa3^s : 
"The Mexican war was not only of a political but sec- 
tional character. While carried on ostensibly on account 
of Texas, there was a greater motive than protection 
from invasion. It was waged to secure territory wherein 
to extend slavery and balance the power of the North 
w^hich was being strengthened by new States carved 
from the northwest. Thus, Southern spirit pushed the 
war to a finish against Northern opposition." 

QUESTION OF SLAVERY. 

Condition Under Mexican Rule and Her Wishes. The 

Wilmot Proviso. 

Slavery had been abolished by Mexico from the ter- 
ritory which we acquired by the Mexican war since 1827. 



THIRD MONTH. 61 

It was free and the Mexicans wanted to keep it that way. 
When United States came into possession of this ter- 
ritory a bitter dispute arose as to whether slavery should 
be allowed in the States that would be formed out of 
this new territory. 

David Wilmot was a Pennsylvania Democrat, and 
a representative in Congress from that State. He ofifered 
a bill in Congress prohibiting slavery in any of the ter- 
ritory which we acquired from Mexico. The bill passed 
the House of Representatives, but failed to pass the Sen- 
ate, hence it did not become a law, but brought up an 
angry discussion of the slavery question. 

4-3-2. 

The Congress shall have power to dispose of and 
make all needful rules and regulations respecting the 
territory or other property belonging to the United 
States ; and nothing in this Constitution shall be so con- 
strued as to prejudice any claims of the United States, 
or of any particular State. 

Effect of the Discovery of Gold on Settlement and Char- 
acter of Settlers. 

Gold was discovered in California in February, 1848, 
by James Marshall. The news of this aroused the civil- 
ized world, and people flocked to California from all 
quarters of the globe. They left their work and rushed 
to California, expecting to get immensely rich. So many 
people settled there that in 1849 it demanded admission 
as a free State. California never was a territory. 

All classes of people rushed to the gold fields. 
Farmers, soldiers, sailors, preachers, doctors, and law- 
yers. Bad men as well as good rushed to California, and 
many times the miners were robbed by these despera- 
does. At last the citizens organized themselves into 
"Vigilance Committees" for the purpose of keeping 
down crime. 

Compromise of 1850. Author. Questions Involved. 

Up to the time that California applied for admis- 
sion into the Union there were fifteen free States and 



62 THIRD MONTH. 

fifteen slave States. If California should be admitted 
as a free State this would break the balance between the 
North and South. Other questions also came up. Should 
slavery be allowed in the territories of New Mexico and 
Utah? Should the slave trade be prohibited in the Dis- 
trict of Columbia? Should the South be given a new 
and more stringent fugitive slave law? Finally, Henry 
Clay devised a plan, which has ever since been known 
as the "Compromise of 1850." A number of bills were 
passed by Congress which was believed would settle tl,ie 
trouble over slavery. They were : 

1. California was admitted as a free State. 

2. New Mexico and Utah were given territorial 
governments without restrictions as to slavery. 

3. A new and more stringent fugitive slave law was 
passed. 

4. Slave trade in the District of Columbia was 
abolished. 

5. Texas was given $10,000,000, and she gave up 
claim on that part of New Mexico that was east of the 
Rio Grande. 

This bill was not passed as a whole, but each part 
was taken up, discussed and passed separately. 

4-2-3. 

No person held to service or labor in one State, un- 
der the laws thereof, escaping into another, shall on de- 
mand of the executive authority of the State from w^hich 
he fled, be delivered up, to be removed to the State hav- 
ing jurisdiction of the crime. 

(This has been superseded by Amendment XIII.) 

1-8-17. 

Congress shall exercise exclusive legislation in all 
cases whatsoever, over such district (not exceeding ten 
miles square) as may, by cession of particular States 
and the acceptance of Congress, become the seat of 
government of the United States, and to exercise like 
authority over all places purchased by the consent of 
the Legislature of the State in which the same shall be. 



THIRD MONTH. 63 

for the erection of forts, magazines, arsenals, dockyards, 
and other needful buildings. 

6-2. 

This Constitution, and the laws of the United 
States which shall be made in pursuance thereof, and 
all treaties made, or which shall be made, under the 
authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law 
of the land. 

Attitude of President Taylor. President Fillmore. 

President Taylor strongly favored the Compromise 
of 1850. Although he was a slave-holder himself, he 
did not believe in the extension of slavery. President 
Taylor died in July, 1850, and Vice-President Fillmore 
took his place. Fillmore also favored the Compromise. 
Fillni'jre appointed Webster Secretary of State. 

Webster's Seventh of March Speech. (Feelings in 
North Over It.) 

Before Clay's Compromise Bill was passed many 
hot debates took place in the Senate. 

Calhoun spoke for the South. He was very feeble, 
and his speech had to be read by Senator Mason, of Vir- 
ginia. He thought in order to save the Union, it would 
be necessary to amend the Constitution, and have two 
Presidents, one from the Free States and one from the 
Slave States. Before any bill could become a law it 
would be necessary to have the approval of both Presi- 
dents. This speech was made by Calhoun March 4, 
1850,. 

On the seventh of March, Webster followed with 
a speech in the Senate. In this speech he spoke for the 
Union, but denounced the Abolitionists and said that 
they did nothing but harm. He made several apolo- 
gies for slavery, and said the South had much more 
room for complaint than the North had. 

Whatever caused Webster to deliver such a speech 
in favor of the South, never was known, but it is sup- 
posed that it was the fear of secession. The North 



64 THIRD MONTH. 

looked upon him as a traitor, and many Southern peo- 
ple were so surprised at this speech that they distrusted 
him. 

Final Action. 

After Webster had delivered his Seventh of March 
speech, William Seward, of New York, spoke for the 
Free Soilers. He declared there was a higher law than 
the Constitution, and that higher law was the law of 
justice and humanity. 

At last, after many long and hot debates in the Sen- 
ate, the President's signature in September, made the 
several bills in the Compromise a law. The South had 
the best of the bargain, but was still dissatisfied. The 
Fugitive Slave Law, which provided for the arrest and 
return of fugitive slaves from the Free States, was 
especially distasteful to the North. 

Outlook For Slavery After Settlement of the Question 
in This Area. 

After Clay's Compromise was agreed upon, for a 
time it seemed to satisfy the people both of the North 
and the South. The longer the Fugitive Slave Law was 
in force the greater became the objections of the North 
to it. Under this law, whenever a negro w^as seized 
for escaping from his master, he was denied the right 
of trial by a jury. If any one would harbor a fugitive 
or rescue him he was fined. This greatly aroused the 
North, and trouble took place whenever an attempt was 
made to return runaway slaves to their masters. 

Several Northern States passed "Personal Liberty 
Bills," giving to runaway negroes the right of trial by 
jury. The Southern people rose in fury at the Personal 
Liberty Bills and declared they nullified the Fugitive 
Slave Law. The Northern States did more than this 
to assist the fugitives. They established the "Under- 
ground Railroad," which of course was no railroad at 
all, but an organization whereby the fugitive was fed 
and kept over night by persons who passed him from 
one to another, until he at last passed through the free 
States into Canada. If they once reached Canada they 



THIRD MONTH. 65 

could not be returned to their master as slaves, for they 
were safe under the protection of the British flag. Hun- 
dreds of slaves got their freedom by means of this "Un- 
derground Railway." 

Compact of Democratic Leaders in 1852. 

After Pierce and King were nominated, a platform 
was adopted at the convention declaring that the Demo- 
cratic party would faithfully abide by all the compro- 
mise measures settled by the last Congress, including 
the Fugitive Slave Law; and that they would '*resist 
all attempts at renewing in Congress or out of it, the 
agitation of the slavery question under whatever shape 
or color the attempt might be made." They also assert- 
ed that since the Fugitive Slave Law was designed to 
carry out an express provision of the Constitution, it 
could not with fidelity thereto "be repealed nor so 
changed as to destroy or impair its efficacy." 

THE OREGON TERRITORY. 

Location; Claims of Countries Upon It; Joint Occu- 
pancy Treaty. 

The Oregon Territory included the country west 
of the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Ocean, and be- 
tween parallel 42° north and 54° 40' north. The United 
States laid claims to Oregon territory on the ground 
that Captain Gray had discovered the Columbia River 
1?92; that Lewis and Clark had explored it 1805-1806; 
that Astor had begun settlements there as early as 1811; 
that Spain had ceded it to the United States 1819. 

England based her claims on Drake's exploration, 
the third voyage of Captain Cook, and the trading- 
posts that the Hudson Bay Company had established. 

The two countries agreed in 1818 to hold it jointly 
for ten years. When the ten years had expired, their 
agreement was renewed; this time it was to continue 
until either country would give a year's notice before 
termination. 



66 THIRD MONTH. 

Conditions Bringing About Treaty of 1846. 

A stream of emigrants began to pour into Oregon, 
and it soon became evident that the people could not 
live in a country under two governments. At last a dis- 
pute arose, and notice was served on Great Britain that 
joint occupancy must end within a year. At last the 
controversy was settled by the treaty of 18J:6. The 
United States took all the territory north of California, 
including the Columbia River, to parallel 49° north. 
The English took all north to Alaska. 

The following States have been carved out of the 
territory which we obtained: Oregon, Washington, 
and Idaho and parts of Wyoming and Montana. 

In this way war was wisely averted. 

Controversy Over Slavery (Because of Independent 
Slaves), and Settlement. 

"This comes under the general topic, Oregon Terri- 
tory. I do not recall any controversy in this connec- 
tion because of independent slaves, nor am I able to 
find anything in any book about it. It must be an error; 
at any rate is not of sufficient importance to demand 
the attention of the Eighth Grade." 

Growing Opposition to Slavery. Its Extension. Jeffer- 
son's Declaration of Independence. 

The struggle with slavery between the North and 
South w^as growing more and more serious. The feel- 
ing in the Free States was greatly against the extension 
of slavery in the territories. The Free Soil Party was 
formed, and in their platform they declared no more 
slave States, no more slave territory. 

The opposition of many people can be traced back 
as far as to the time of Jefferson, when he stated in his 
first draft of the Declaration of Independence, that one 
reason why the United States would be justified in sepa- 
rating from Great Britain was because the king encour- 
aged the slave trade. 



Fourth Month. 



Growing Opposition to Slavery. As Seen in Quaker 
Society in 1790. 

The Quakers were always foes of the extension of 
slavery. History records as early as 1775, they organ- 
ized a society in Pennsylvania which intended to work 
for the abolition of slavery. In 1789 it was incorporat- 
ed, and Benjamin Franklin was made president. Other 
Northern States afterwards followed the example of 
the Quakers in Pennsylvania. 

Study the Martyrdom of Lovejoy. 

Rev. E. P. Lovejoy was a young school teacher 
who later learned to preach the Gospel, and afterwards 
edited and published a religious paper which finally be- 
came an anti-slavery paper. He moved from St. Louis 
to Alton. As soon as his printing press landed at Alton 
it was seized by a mob of pro-slavery persons and de- 
stroyed. He obtained another one, and after using it 
about a year it was destroyed. He obtained a third, and 
it was destroyed before he had a chance to use it. Not 
to be outdone, he obtained a fourth, and for safety 
stored it in a warehouse where it was guarded by some 
of his friends. A mob attacked the warehouse, fired 
shots, and finally set fire to the building. Lovejoy tried 
to defend himself, but at last was pierced by five bullets 
and fell dead. This shows how strong the slavery sen- 
timent was in Illinois at one time. 

The City of Alton and the State of Illinois later 
contributed and a monument was erected at Alton in 
his memory. 

Organization of Abolition Society. Object of It. 

In 1833 the American Anti-Slavery Society was 
formed at Philadelphia. It was formed through the 
eflforts of Garrison, Whittier, Leavitt, Mav, and others. 



68 FOURTH MONTH. 

In the formation of this Anti-Slavery Society and others 
which followed, was the beginning of Abolition. 

Their object was to decide upon the best means to 
do away with slavery. These societies regarded it as 
a sin and disgrace. The more the Southern people tried 
to quiet the discussions over slavery the more the Aboli- 
tionists carried it on. In 1831 Garrison established the 
Liberator, which was a strong anti-slavery paper. This 
paper became very famous. 

Liberty Party. Platform. Comparative Strength in 
1840; 1844. 

A meeting of abolitionists was held in Xew York 
in 1839, and was the beginning of a new party, called 
the Liberty Party. In IS^IO they nominated James G. 
Birney for President and Thomas Earle for Vice Presi- 
dent. Birney and Earle declined the nomination, but in 
spite of this these candidates received over 7,000 votes^ 
or about 0.3 of all. Their platform was the abolition 
of slavery. In 1843 Birney was renominated, and in the 
election of 1844 received over 62,000 votes, or about 2.3 
of all. Had it not been for the Liberty Party in 1844,. 
Clay would have been elected President. In 1848 and 
1852 they supported the Free Soil Party, and in a few 
years drifted in w'ith the Republicans. 

The Free Soil Party. Comparative Strength in 1848. 

The anti-slavery people thought a new part}' ought 
to be formed, for neither the Whigs nor Democrats took 
a stand on the slavery question. Accordingly, the Free 
Soil Party was organized. They held their national 
convention at Buffalo 1848. Its platform was, "Free 
soil, free speech, free labor, and free people." They 
nominated Ex-President Martin Van Buren for Presi- 
dent, and Charles Adams for Vice-President. In the 
election they received no electoral vote, but polled 
291,263 out of 2,871,908 votes cast, or about 10.2 per cent 
of the whole. 



FOURTH MONTH. 69 

Effect of Compromise of 1850 and Compact of 1852 on 
Election of 1852. 

Both the Whigs and Democrats favored the Com- 
promise of 1850. The Democrats re-united, and half of 
the Free Soilers went back to the old parties. In the 
election of 1852 the Democrats put forth Franklin 
Pierce for President and William King for Vice Presi- 
dent. The Whigs nominated Winfield Scott for Presi- 
dent and William Graham for Vice President. The 
Democrats defeated the Whigs so badly that they never 
again put up a candidate for President. So many mem- 
bers of the Whig Party at the North v^ere angry at the 
Fugitive Slave Act, and thought there would be less 
<:onfusion if a Democrat President was elected, there- 
fore they voted the Democratic ticket. Pierce was in- 
augurated March 4, 1853, and served until 1857. 

"Uncle Tom's Cabin." 

"Uncle Tom's Cabin" was the name of a book 
which was written by Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe. It 
w^as published in 18o3, during the exciting times over 
slavery. 

Mrs. Stowe's object was to stir up sympathy for 
the negroes, and to show people what an accursed thing 
slavery really was. It was so powerfully written that 
everybody read it. Many people in the North^ who 
before cared little about slavery, were now converted 
to abolition. The book greatly angered the Southern 
people, for it struck slavery a terrible blow. 

The Underground Railway. (Impetus Given Through 
the Fugitive Slave Law of 1850.) 

The Fugitive Slave Law was a law which provided 
that all runaway negroes should be arrested, and re- 
turned to their masters. The Northern people were 
greatly opposed to this law, and trouble took place 
whenever an attempt was made to restore runaway 
slaves to their masters. 

Several Northern States passed ''Personal Liberty 
Bills," giving to runaway negroes the right of trial by 



70 FOURTH MONTH. 

jury. The Southern people rose in fury at the Per- 
sonal Liberty Bills and declared that they nullified the 
Fugitive Slave Law. The Northern States did more 
than this to assist the fugitives. They established the 
"Underground Railroad," which, of course, was not a 
railroad at all, but an organization whereby the fugitive 
was fed and kept over night by persons who passed him 
from one to another, until he at last passed through the 
Free States to Canada. If they once reached Canada, 
they could not be returned to their masters as slaves, 
for they were safe under the protection of the British 
flag. Hundreds of slaves got their freedom by means 
of the "Underground Railway." 

Kansas-Nebraska Bill. Author. Terms of Bill. Rea- 
sons for It. 

Stephen A. Douglas, of Illinois, offered a bill in 
Congress organizing the territories of Kansas and Ne- 
braska. Slavery at this time was uppermost in the peo- 
ple's mind. In regard to slavery in these territories, 
Stephen A. Douglas advocated the doctrine of "Squatter 
Sovereignty." This meant that the people in these ter- 
ritories could decide for themselves whether they 
wanted slavery or not. This greatly surprised and an- 
gered the Northern people. They argued that it would 
repeal the Missouri Compromise of 1820. The Missouri 
Compromise had shut slavery out of all territory north 
of 36° 30', and Kansas and Nebraska were both north. 
In spite of all the opposition to the Kansas-Nebraska 
bill, it became a law in 1854. It repealed the Missouri 
Compromise. Douglas claimed that the Compromise 
of ISoO said the territories of Utah and New Mexico 
were to decide the question of slavery themselves, then 
Kansas and Nebraska should have the same privilege. 
It is not known why Douglas took this course, prob- 
ably he believed his measure would put down the slav- 
ery question, or was he thinking of running for Presi- 
dent, and thought by his measures he would please the 
South and get their votes? 



FOURTH MONTH. 71 

What About the Power of Congress as per Report of 
Compromise of 1790? 

The Committee of 1790 adopted the following reso- 
lutions : 

1. That the migration or importation of such per- 
sons as any of the States now existing- shall think 
proper to admit cannot be prohibited prior to the year 
1808. 

2. That Congress have no power to interfere in 
the emancipation of slaves or the treatment of them 
within any State. 

3. That Congress have authority to restrain the 
citizens of the United States from carrying on the Afri- 
can trade for the purpose of supplying foreigners with 
slaves, and of providing, by proper regulations, for the 
humane treatment of slaves while they were being 
transported into the States. 

4. That Congress have also authority to prohibit 
foreigners from fitting out vessels in any port of the 
United States for transporting persons from Africa to 
any foreign port. 

These resolutions adopted in this form were a great 
victory for slavery; for in them the House defined its 
attitude toward slavery, and laid down the principles 
which were to guide it in all future legislation upon that 
subject. They discouraged the abolitionists and those 
who were agitating for the more humane treatment of 
slaves ; and gave assurance to the Southern States that 
Congress would interfere in no way with slavery in 
any State. 

The Rush For Kansas. 

As any one might suppose, the Kansas-Nebraska 
Bill gave the Southern people an opportunity to try to 
win Kansas and Nebraska for slave States. 

The Northern people would try just as hard to win 
them for free States. As soon as Pierce signed the bill 
making it a law, the people began to pour into the new 
territory. The slavery people made the start and came 
from Missouri, and had their headquarters at Lecomp- 



72 FOURTH MONTH. 

ton and Leavenworth. In a short time the New Eng- 
land Aid Society of Boston sent out emigrants, and they 
had their headquarters at Lawrence and Topeka. 

Lecompton and Topeka Constitutions. 

The pro-slavery people of Lecompton formed a 
State Constitution and established slavery. The anti- 
slavery people of Topeka formed a Free State Consti- 
tution, which was easily ratified because the , pro-slavery 
people would not vote on it. The people of Kansas were 
to decide whether it was to be a slave or free State. The 
election of members of the territorial legislature took 
place in March, 1854. If the legislature should have a 
majority of the free State men, Kansas would be a free 
State : if it had a majority of slave State men it would 
then be a slave State. 

Civil War in Kansas. 

From 1854 to 1859 the territory around Lecompton 
and Lawrence suffered so much from the efforts of both 
parties to get control that it fairly earned the name of 
"Bleeding Kansas." During the greater part of five 
years it was torn by civil war. The Free State /men de- 
nounced the opposite party as "Border Ruffians," and 
the Border Ruffians called the Free State men "Abo- 
litionists" and "Black Republicans." — Montgomery's 
Leading Facts of American History, pp. 280, 281. Ginn and 
Company. 

-Attitude of Pierce, Douglas, and Buchanan Toward Con- 

tions. 

Pierce, who was backed by the Senate, favored the 
proslavery Constitution, but the House of Representa- 
tives had an anti-slavery majority. Buchanan w^knted 
Congress to accept the Lecompton Constitution, but 
Senator Douglas refused, saying it would violate "popu- 
lar sovereignty." 



FOURTH MONTH. 73 

Effect Upon Political Parties. (Returns in Election 

of 1856.) 

All the opponents of the Kansas-Nebraska Bill 
united and were first known as Anti-Nebraska men, and 
later helped form the Republican Party. This Anti- 
Nebraska Party was made up of Anti-Slavery Whigs, 
Free Soilers, and Anti-Slavery Democrats. Their pur- 
pose was to prohibit the extension of slavery. 

The Democrats nominated James Buchanan for 
President and John Breckenridge for Vice President; 
the American Party nominated Williard Fillmore for 
President and Andrew Donaldson for Vice President; 
the Anti-Nebraska or Republican Party nominated John 
Fremont for President and William Drayton for Vice- 
President. In the fall election of 1856 the Democrats 
Avere successful, but the newly organized Anti-Nebraska 
Party carried eleven out of fifteen States. 

Effort to Bribe Kansas. 

The pro-slavery men were so anxious to win Kan- 
sas for a slave State that unfair means were used. At 
the election, men from Missouri came into Kansas and 
voted; and it is said that when the votes were counted 
there were more ballots than voters. 

Final Outcome in 1861. 

After several years of hard struggle, the free settlers 
had increased in Kansas, and after asking Congress sev- 
eral times to be admitted as a free State, it was not until 
1861 that its request was granted, and Kansas came into 
our Union as a free State. 

Ostend Manifesto. What it Was, and What it Signified. 
\yhen the South found that it had scarcely no more 
opportunities to get more slave territory, it made an 
effort to get Cuba, which was Spanish territory. In 
1854, Pierce directed our ministers to Great Britain, 
France, and Spain — James Buchanan, John INIason and 
Pierre Soule, to consider the best means to acquire 
Cuba. These ministers met at Ostend, in Belgium, and 



74 FOURTH MONTH. 

sent a report to President Pierce of their meeting, say- 
ing: "United States ought to have Cuba; if Spain is 
unwilling to sell, United States should take it by force." 
But just at this time United States was so taken up 
with the struggle over the Kansas-Nebraska Bill that 
the subject was dropped. 

The Taney Decision, 3-2-1 and 4-3-2. 

The judicial power shall extend to controversies be- 
tween two or more States ; between a State and citizens 
of another State ; and beween citizens of dififerent States. 

Congress shall have power to dispose of and make 
all needful rules and regulations respecting the territory 
or other property belonging to United States ; and 
nothing in this Constitution shall be so construed as to 
prejudice any claims of the United States or of any 
particular State. 

The Story of Dred Scott. The Decision of the Court. 
Effect Upon the Slavery Question. 

Dred Scott was a negro slave, and the son of slave 
parents. His master had taken him- from Missouri, 
which was a slave State, into Illinois, which was a free 
State. Dred Scott and his master then moved to Min- 
nesota. This was a free territory, being made free by 
the Missouri Compromise. Then they moved back to 
Missouri. There he was sold to a new master. Dred 
Scott thought he had lived long enough in free territory 
to be a free man. He sued for his freedom. The case 
was tried in the lower courts, and finally carried to the 
United States Supreme Court. Here Chief Justice 
Taney gave his decision. He announced that Scott, be- 
cause he was the son of slave parents, was not an Ameri- 
can citizen, therefore he had no right to sue for his 
liberty. He also declared Congress had no right or 
power to prohibit slavery in any territory ; this in other 
words meant the Missouri Compromise did not amount 
to anything. The decision pleased the South, but 
greatly angered the North. The North felt as though 
all the territories were now^ thrown open to slavery; be- 



FOURTH MONTH. 75 

fore Taney's decision they thought they had slayery 
shut out of all the territory north of 36° 30'. 

Review Control of Slavery in Territories as per the 

Writers of the Constitution and Their Laws Up 

to 1850. Com. of 1790. 

The Constitution (Article IV, CI. 2) says : "The 
Congress shall have power to dispose of and make all 
needful rules and regulations respecting the territory 
or other property belonging to the United States. 

By the Ordinance of 1787, slavery was to be forever 
excluded from the Northwest Territory. 

In 1820 Congress passed the law known as the 
"Missouri Compromise," which provided that Missouri 
should be admitted as a slave State, but in all the rest 
of the Louisiana Territory north of 36° 30', "slavery 
shall be and is hereby forever prohibited." 

In 1848 Congress passed a law which gave Oregon 
a regular territorial government, in which slavery was 
prohibited. 

(The Report of the Committee of 1790. See p. 50). 
These resolutions which the House adopted were 
not laws, though in a measure they had the force of 
such. They refer to slavery in the States, not in the 
territories. 

As per Douglas. 

Douglas in his Kansas-Nebraska Bill declared that 
the question of slavery in the territories was to be de- 
cided by the people of the territories. 

As per Supreme Court. 

The Supreme Court in the Dred Scott case declared 
Congress could not shut out slavery from the territories. 

The Republican Party. Its Organization in Illinois. 

Outgrowth of What; Advantage of a New Name. 

Platform, Candidate and Strength in 1856. 

A meeting of Anti-Nebraska editors took place at 
Decatur, Illinois. Eleven editors took part in the meet- 
ing, and before they adjourned they appointed a State 



76 FOURTH MONTH. 

Central Committee, which was to meet at Bloomington, 
IlHnois, in May, 1856. At this meeting Lincohi made 
his famous speech which brought him before the pub- 
lic as a possible candidate for the Presidency. It might 
be said from these eleven editors sprung- the Republican 
Party. 

This Republican Party was made up of anti-slavery 
Democrats, anti-slavery Whigs, and Free Soilers. At 
first they called themselves "Anti-Nebraska" men, but 
later when their party Avas organized they took the 
name "Republicans." 

Very few men will change over from one political 
party to another that has been in existence for some 
time : consequently it would have been folly to attempt 
to unite under one of the old names ; they 
all carried with them associations more or less dis- 
tasteful to members of the other parties. So a new 
name was necessary, and in the name "Republican," 
they made a most fortunate choice. This was the name 
of the party of Jefferson that had been so popular in its 
day. By taking its name they proclaimed that they 
were returning to the principles of Jefferson and true 
Democracy, and no other name that they could have 
chosen would have appealed so strongly to the masses 
of the people. If ever there was magic in a name, there 
was in this. In the first year of its existence, it had ma- 
jorities in fifteen of the States, and one hundred and 
seventeen members in Congress. 

In their platform they opposed the repeal of the Mis- 
souri Compromise, the extension of slavery, favored 
the admission of Kansas as a free State, also favored the 
Pacific Railroad and other internal improvements. 

In 1856 the Republicans nominated John C. Fremont 
for President, the Whigs nominated Millard Fillmore, 
and the Democrats nominated James Buchanan. At the 
election Fremont received 111 electoral votes. Fillmore 
8, Buchanan 174. 



FOURTH MONTH. 77 

The Lincoln-Douglas Debates. Conditions in Illinois. 
Plan of Debates. 

Lincoln was candidate for United States Senator from 
Illinois on the Republican ticket. Douglas was candidate 
for re-election for the same office on the Democratic 
ticket. 

Lincohi in a speech at Springtield, III, said, "A house 
divided against itself cannot stand." He also said, "The 
nation must become all one thing or all the other," by 
this, he meant that the United States could not stand 
with one section holding slaves, and the other section 
free from slaves, and that it had to be all free territory 
or all slave territory. 

Douglas replied to this and said, "I see that Lincoln 
means to fight until either the North or South is con- 
quered." Douglas declared he was in favor of the peo- 
ple deciding for themselves whether they wanted slaves 
or not. 

Lincoln challenged Douglas to debate with him. 
Douglas accepted. These debates were to be held in 
seven different towns : Ottawa, Freeport, Jonesboro^ 
Charleston, Galesburg, Quincy, and Alton. The questions 
to be discussed were : Popular Sovereignty, Dred 
Scott Decision, and Extension of Slavery in the Terri- 
tories. The people of Illinois became greatly excited 
over the debates and turned out by the thousands to 
hear them. When the votes were counted Douglas was 
elected Senator, but Lincoln had won for himself a na- 
tional reputation. 

1-3-1. 

The Senate of the United States shall be composed of 
two Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature 
thereof for six years ; and each Senator shall have one 
vote. 

Cooper Institute Speech. 

When people heard how well Lincoln handled the de- 
bates, invitations to lecture came to him from all parts 
of the country. Lincoln accepted many of the invita- 



78 FOURTH MONTH. 

tions and sometimes was paid as much as two hundred 
dollars a night. In New York he spoke at Cooper In- 
stitute to an intelligent gathering. The trip to the East 
was of great value to him, especially when the coming 
canvass for the presidency was under w^ay. Everybody 
was interested in Lincoln. 

Campaign of 1860. Study the Bearing of the Political 

Situation in Illinois upon the Nomination of Lincoln. 

The Political Parties; Their Candidates; 

Their Platforms. 

Lincoln, while making the race in Illinois for United 
States Senator, attracted not only the attention of Illi- 
nois, but the attention of the whole nation. Although 
beaten for Senator, by his famous debates, he made him- 
self famous all over the land, and was quite sure to 
walk on the path that lead to the White House. 

The political parties that took part in the campaign 
of 1860 were: 

The Republican Party, whose platform declared slav- 
ery was wrong, and it should not be permitted to spread 
into the territories. They nominated Abraham Lincoln 
of IlHnois for President, and Hannibal Hamlin of Maine 
for Vice President. 

The Democrat Party had spHt and one wing of it 
was called the Douglas wing, and the other was called 
the Buchanan wing. The Douglas wing in their plat- 
form declared the people of a territory were free to de- 
cide for themselves whether they wanted slavery or not. 
Their candidates were Stephen A. Douglas of Illinois for 
President, and Herschel Johnson of Georgia for Vice 
President. 

The Buchanan wing in their platform declared slav- 
ery was right and a benefit to the country, and that it 
should extend and more slave States should be created. 
Their candidates were John C. Breckenridge of Kentucky 
for President, and Joseph Lane of Oregon for Vice 
President. 

The Constitutional Union Party was made up of 
remnants of the old Whig Party, and the Know-Nothing 



FOURTH MONTH. , 79 

Party. In their platform they declared for the union, of 
the States, the Constitution, and the enforcement of the 
laws. Their candidates were John Bell of Tennessee 
for President, and Edward Everett of Massachusetts for 
Vice President. 

The Election Returns; Electoral, Popular. 

In the election which took place in November, 1860, 
Lincoln received ISO electoral votes and 1,866,352 of the 
popular votes. Douglas received 12 electoral votes and 
1,375,156 of the popular votes. Breckenridge received 
72 electoral votes and 847,763 of the popular votes. Bell 
received 39 electoral votes and 589,581 of the popular 
votes. 

Outlook in Congress. 

In Congress the Democrats had a majority of both 
Houses. It would be at least two years before the Re- 
publicans could carry out any of their plans. The Kan- 
sas-Nebraska Act would have to remain as it was. and 
Kansas could not come into the Union, yet the South- 
ern leaders thought it was time for the South to sepa- 
rate from the North. 

Outlook in the Supreme Court. 

When Lincoln was elected, the Republicans had but 
one judge in the Supreme Court; the rest were Demo- 
crats, four from the slave States and three from the free 
States. There was but one vacancy, which would be 
filled by the President with the consent of the Senate, 
and the Senate was Democratic. Since the judges of the 
Supreme Court are appointed for life, slavery could be 
in no great danger from its decisions for a long time, 
with seven or most likely eight, of the nine Democrats, 
and a distinct majority in favor of the principles an- 
nounced in the Dred Scott decision. 

To What Extent the New President Could Harm 
Slavery. 

The new President had little chance to harm slav- 
ery. He had the appointment of one justice of the Su- 



80 FOURTH MONTH. 

])reme Court, l)ut. as only one was Republican and the 
other seven Democratic, slavery was in little danger so 
far as this court was concerned, even if the vacancy could 
have been filled by a Republican. A President cannot 
enact law^s — he can only recommend them to Congress 
in his message, and approve 'them or veto them when 
they have been passed by both Houses — as both Houses 
were Democratic, it was not likely that any strongly anti- 
'Slavery measures could come up for its consideration. 
Consequently, so long as the Southern States remained 
in the Union, the President was practically powerless to 
harm slavery. 

FORMATION OF THE CONFEDERACY. 

Preamble. 

We, the people of the United States, in order to 
form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure do- 
mestic tranquillity, provide for the common defense, pro- 
mote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of 
liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and es- 
tablish this Constitution for the United States of Amer- 
ica. 

1-8-18. 

The Congress shall have power to make all laws 
which shall be necessary and proper for carrying into 
execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers 
vested by this Constitution in the government of the 
United States, or in any department or officer thereof. 

6-2. 

This Constitution, and the laws of the United States 
which shall be made in pursuance thereof, and all 
treaties made, or which shall be made, under the author- 
ity of the United States, shall be the supreme law of 
the land ; and the judges in every State shall be bound 
thereby, anything in the Constitution or laws of any 
State to the contrary notwithstanding. 



FOURTH MONTH. 81 

Pretended and Real Cause; Extent; Officers; Capital; 
Constitution; Flag. 

The alleged causes for secession were two. The 
iirst was the passage of the "Personal Liberty Bills" by 
many of the Northern States during the twenty years 
preceding. They were intended to interfere with the 
operation of the fugitive slave laws passed by Congress. 
Over twenty States had passed such laws, and the South 
looked upon them as attempts to nullify the acts of 
Congress. The South, with its doctrine of state rights^ 
looked upon the Constitution as a compact or agreement 
between the different States, and claimed that the North 
were by these acts violating their compact. 

The other reason given by the South was the ex- 
clusion of slavery from the territories, but they had no 
grounds whatever to justify this assertion; for the Su- 
preme Court had, in the Dred Scott case, given an opin- 
ion which sustained all the claims of the South and would 
overrule any tendency of Congress to pass laws restrict- 
ing slavery in the territories. For this opinion held that 
slaves are not persons, but property, and that any owner 
had the same right to take them into the territories as- 
he had with regard to other property. The Supreme 
Court, because of changes in its personnel, was now 
stronger for that principle than it was in 1857. Then 
even if Congress had had the power to keep slavery from 
the territories, it did not have the necessary majority for 
both Houses were Democratic. 

The real cause for secession was the ever-widening 
breach between the North and South over the slavery 
question. The people of the South had grown up with 
slavery; it was profitable; the present generation felt 
little responsibility for its existence ; and most of them 
thought it was right, or at least the only suitable con- 
dition of the negro. In the Northern States where slav- 
ery was unprofitable, people had more and more become 
convinced that it was wrong, a blot upon the nation, and 
wholly out of place in a democracy. With every renewal 
of the agitation these feelings became more intense on 
both sides, especially at the South. 



82 FOURTH MONTH. 

The immediate cause of secession was the election to 
the presidency of Lincoln who had in his public speeches 
denounced slavery as wrong, and said that the govern- 
ment could not endure half slave and half free. They 
looked upon his election as a declaration of hostiHty by 
the Republican party, which had been organized to op- 
pose the extension of slavery in the territories. It should, 
however, be remembered that the great masses of South- 
ern people were not in favor of secession. It was largely 
the action of political leaders who thought they could 
make better terms with the North as regards slavery if 
they were out of the Union ; others that they could form 
a confederacy where the States could exercise their 
sovereign rights without interference from the North. 

February 4, 1861, the "Confederate States of Ameri- 
ca" were formed. South Carolina was the first State to 
leave the Union, and by the first of February, 1861, Mis- 
sissippi. Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana and 
Texas had withdrawn. Delegates from these States met 
on February 4, 1861, at Montgomery, Ala., and organized 
themselves into the "Confederate States of America." 

Jefferson Davis was elected President, and Alex- 
ander Stephens was elected Vice President. 

Montgomery, Alabama, was made the capital, but 
later. May, 1861, it was removed to Richmond, Vir- 
ginia. 

In their new Constitution slavery was fully recog- 
nized as a lawful institution, and it strictly forbade a 
protective tariff. 

They discarded the Stars and Stripes and in its place 
thev hoisted the Stars and Bars. 

Buchanan's Attitude. At First, and Far Reaching In- 
fluence. Change and Cause for It. 

Buchanan was a man who possessed little firmness 
of character. He had, throughout his administration, 
been largely under the influence of Southern leaders. 
When, after the election of 1860, it became evident the 
South would secede, he sent a message to Congress in 
which he upbraided the North for their choice of presi- 



FOURTH MONTH. 83 

dent ; he denied the right of the South to secede, yet 
went on to show that neither the President nor Congress 
had a right to coerce a State, meaning thereb}^ to com- 
pel it by force of arms to stay in the Union. 

Such sentiments as these, together with the refusal 
to send reinforcements to Charleston harbor, only 
tended to encourage the South in their determination to 
secede. What the country needed at such a time was a 
man who would take a bold, firm stand as did Jackson 
in 1832, and assert that the laws must be obeyed and 
the Union preserved. Many have always believed that 
the long, bloody struggle might have been prevented or 
at least shortened if a capable man had been in his place. 
But Buchanan seemed paralyzed by the turn that events 
had taken. 

AA'hen finally his cabinet members began to resign, 
and were replaced by men loyal to the Union, he braced 
up somewhat and sent the "Star of the West" to relieve 
Major Anderson. It was only a merchant ship, when 
he should have sent a battleship. But he was still sub- 
ject to Southern influences and arranged with the lead- 
ers at the South a sort of armistice in which he agreed 
not to attempt to reinforce the United States forts at the 
South, and they in turn were not to capture them during 
his administration. Such acts as these have stamped him 
as. the weakest of presidents, and, with one exception 
perhaps, the greatest failure. 

EFFORTS AT MAKING PEACE. 
The Peace Conference. 

Many people in the North dreaded a war, and tried 
in many ways to compromise the difference, and per- 
suade the South to come back and not break up the 
Union. The legislature of Virginia called for a Peace 
Conference to meet at Washington. Twenty-one States 
sent delegates, but not one came from the seceded States. 
They spent three weeks in discussing means to make 
peace and tried to bring about harmony but all efforts 
to make peace came to nothing. 



84 FOURTH MONTH. 

Crittenden Compromise. 

Many plans for a compromise were offered, but onl>^ 
one, that of Crittenden, of Kentucky, need be mentiond. 
He proposed that the Constitution should be so amended 
as to provide : 

1. That all territory of the United States north of 
36° 30' should be free, and all south of it slave soil. 

2. That slaves should be protected as property by 
all the departments of the territorial government. 

3. That States should be admitted with or with- 
out slavery as their Constitutions provided, whether the 
States were north or south of 36° 30'. 

4. That Congress should have no power to shut 
slavery out of the territories. 

5. That the United States should pay owners for 
rescued fugitive slaves. 

All these propositions put the black man on the level 
with horses and cattle, the Republicans rejected them,, 
and the attempt to compromise ended in a failure. — 
McMaster, pp. 380, 381. 

2-1-8. 

Before the President enters on the execution of his 
office, he shall take the following oath or affirmation : 
'T do solemnly swear (or afffrm) that I will faithfully 
execute the offfce of President of the United States, and 
will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and 
defend the Constitution of the United States." 

2-3. 

He shall from time to time give to the Congress in- 
formation of the state of the Union, and recommend to 
their consideration such measures as he shall judge nec- 
essary and expedient ; he may, on extraordinary occa- 
sions, convene both Houses, or either of them, and in 
case of di'sagreement between them with respect to the 
time of adjournment, he may adjourn them to such time 
as he shall think proper; he shall receive ambassadors 
and other public ministers ; he shall take care that the 
laws be faithfully executed, and shall commission all the 
officers of the United States. 



FOURTH MONTH. 85 

Attitude of Buchanan. 

Major Anderson with a garrison of eighty men held 
Port Sumter. He was in need of more men and supplies. 
President Buchanan sent the ''Star of the West" with 
"men and provisions to relieve him. When the ship en- 
tered the harbor, the Confederates fired upon her and she 
was compelled to go back without giving Anderson the 
help he needed so badly. Buchanan was not firm enough 
and effective aid could not be giyen to Ft. Sumter, for 
he did not seem to know what to do about it. 

Attitude of Lincoln, Attack by the South. Major 
Anderson's Defense. 

When President Lincoln came into power a very dif- 
ferent person was at the helm. In his inaugural address 
he said, "No State can leave the Union, and I will do all 
in my power to see that the laws are faithfully exe- 
cuted,'' this really meant, that if the seceded States did 
not come back into the Union he would compel them to 
do so. 

Major Anderson still held Fort Sumter. President 
Lincoln knew he had not been relieved by President 
Buchanan, therefore he was determined to send him men 
and provisions. When the Confederate force under P. 
G. T. Beauregard heard that supplies were to be sent, 
they called upon Anderson to surrender ; he refused and 
they opened fire on Fort Sumter. Major Anderson with 
his eighty-five men held the fort against the Confede- 
rates with seven thousand until his ammunition was 
nearly gone, and after fighting thirty-six hours he was 
compelled to surrender. No person was killed on either 
side. A war spirit spread over the country. The Con- 
federates had opened the war by firing on the United 
States flag at Ft. Sumter. Major Anderson and his 
troops left for New York. 

The Call for Troops. 2-2-1. 

The President shall be commander-in-chief of the 
<irmy and navy of the United States, and of the militia 



86 FOURTH MONTH. 

of the several States, when called into the actual service 
of the United States. 

1-8-12. 
Congress shall have power to raise and support arm- 
ies; but no appropriation of money to that use shall be 
for a longer term than two years. 

1-8-13. 

Congress shall have power to provide and maintain 
a navy. 

1-8-15. 

Congress shall have power to provide for calling 
forth the militia to execute the laws of the Union, sup- 
press insurrections, and repel "invasions. 

, Object for Which the Call was Made. Number and 
Length of Service. Asked for. Responses. 

April 15, 1861, President Lincoln issued a call for 
seventy-five thousand troops to put down the rebellion, 
and regain the forts and other public property. He called 
for three months' service for few persons thought the 
war would last longer than that. Fully a hundred thous- 
and responded. 

President Davis also called for troops, and the re- 
sponse was immediate. 

Secession of More States. (Why Not All Slave States?) 

Immediately after the President's call for troops,. 
Virginia, Tennessee, North Carolina, and Arkansas se- 
ceded, but Delaware, Maryland, Kentucky, and Missouri 
would not join the Confederacy. Delaware had very few 
slaves, and for thirty years they had been decreasing in 
number. Governor Hicks of Maryland was a strong 
Union man and Annapolis was early occupied by Union 
troops to protect Washington. 

AVhile the people were much divided in sentiment, 
the legislature decided that a State had no power to 
secede. So Maryland declared herself neutral, protested 
against a war, and implored the President to make peace. 



FOURTH MONTH. 87 

Kentucky was much divided in opinion, many believing 
in State rights. The legislature finally deciding that the 
South did not have sufficient cause for secession, and 
declared for neutrality. Missouri first declared against 
secession ; but when Lincoln called fof troops, many 
favored joining the Confederacy. In Missouri slavery 
did not have the political and social power back of it 
that it had in most of the other slave States. The ratio 
of her slave population was less than that of any other 
State except Delaware. In fact, in all four of these 
States slaves had not proved so profitable and conse- 
quently were not so numerous as they were farther south. 
Then being border States, they all had many influential 
people who believed that slavery was wrong. 



Fifth Month. 



THE MILITARY MOVEMENTS OF THE WAR. 

The Battle of Bull Run. Location. Results. In What 
Way a Southern Victory? In What Way a North- 
ern Victory?. Lessons It Taught the North. 

The Battle of Bull Run was fought Juh^ 21, 1861. 
Bull Run is about thirty-five miles southwest of Wash- 
ington. The soldiers of the Union army, under Mc- 
Dowell, moved out of Washington and were in a hurry 
to make a dash on Richmond, the Confederate capital. 
The soldiers of the Southern army under Beauregard 
were at Manassas Junction. Johnson had been ordered 
by the Confederate government to join Beauregard. The 
Southern army was anxious to make an attack on Wash- 
'in^ton. 

The two armies met at Bull Run. The Union army 
under ^IcDowell did the first firing. For a time it seemed 
as though the Union army would be successful, but 
finally the Southern army received reinforcements and 
the Union army was compelled to retreat back to Wash- 
ington. Beauregard w^as not able to follow the Union 
arni}^ into Washington or the result w^ould have been 
disastrous. 

It was a bad defeat for the poor untrained Unron 
army. The North bowed their heads in shame for they 
thought our soldiers acted like cowards. President Lin- 
coln knew better, he saw at once that they must be bet- 
ter drilled and' organized. It taught the North that the 
war was not to end in three months as many had ex- 
pected, the defeat also encouraged them to become more 
determined to overcome the Confederates. 

Although it was a victory for the South it did them 
more harm than good for it filled them with an exag- 
gerated hopefulness. 



FIFTH MONTH. 89 

It was a Southern victory for they really won the 
battle yet it was in a way a Northern victory for it did 
the North much good to know the cause of their failure, 
and to know that they must get ready for a long and 
bitter struggle, for they saw with what determination 
the Southern soldiers fought. 

New Plans for the War. 

The new plan for the war was : 

1. To blockade the Southern ports. 

2. To capture Richmond. 

3. To get control of the Mississippi River. 

4. Later, to cut the Confederacy in two. 

The Blockade. Necessity for One. Scope of the Plan. 

Lincoln ordered the Southern ports from Virginia to 
Texas to be blockaded. He had two objects in view: 
First, no foreign nation could send supplies, guns or 
ammunition to the Confederates ; second, it kept the 
Southern people from exporting their cotton, and of 
course, if they couldn't sell their cotton, their money 
would soon run short, and then they could not keep up 
the war. England wanted the cotton from the Southern 
States and was determined to have it. She, therefore, 
built vessels of such great speed that could run through 
the blockade. She would load her vessels in England 
with goods for the Confederates, and take them as far as 
the West Indies, where they were unloaded and put on 
the "blockade runners." Then during a dark night these 
''blockade runners" would push through the blockade, 
anchor at some Southern port, unload their goods, reload 
with cotton and during a dark night would steal out 
again. 

The Monitor and Merrimac. Importance of It. 

A¥hen the Confederates were about to get possession 
of the Portsmouth navy yard by the secession of Vir- 
ginia, the Union forces sank or burned all of the vessels 
that they thought would be of any use to the Confede- 
rates. Amono- the vessels that had been sunk and 



90 FIFTH MONTH. 

partly burned was the "^lerrimac." The Confederates 
raised it, covered it with iron, and called it the "Vir- 
ginia." They now sent the "Virginia" under the com- 
mand of Captain Buchanan to threaten the blockade. 
The first attack was on the "Cumberland," which in a 
short time was destroyed, and one hundred and twenty- 
one of her crew killed. The next attack was on the 
"Congress," which in a short time was forced to sur- 
render, with the loss of one hundred men. She then 
retired to Norfolk for the night. The next day she was 
ready for the "Minnesota," when suddenly behind her, 
appeared a curious looking craft. It was the "Moni- 
tor" also an iron clad vessel, which had come from New 
York. The "^lonitor" opened fire on the "^lerrimac," 
and the two vessels fought for four hours. Finally the 
"Merrimac" was forced to give up and steam back to the 
navy yard. Had it not been for the "Monitoi:" probably 
the Merrimac would have broken the blockade, sailed up 
the Potomac and threatened our capital. This was the 
first time two iron clad vessels ever .met in battle. It 
ended the days of wooden vessels, and marked a new era 
in naval warfare. 

Effectiveness of the Blockade as Seen by Exports of 
1860, 1862, and 1863. 

The increasing effectiveness of the blockade is shown 
by the decrease in the export of cotton, the main crop of 
the South, and the one England made a great eft'ort to 
secure because of the enforced idleness in her factories 
from her inability to get enough of the staple after the 
blockade was established. In 1860 the value of the cotton 
exported was $202,741,251; in 1861, $42,000,000: in 1862, 
$4,000,000. By the end of the year 1863 the ports were 
closed. 

War in the West. Grant's Plans. 

In the beginning of 1862 President Lincoln gave an 
order that the armies should make a forward movement; 
this order was first obeyed in the West. The Union 
forces knew that if they wanted to make an invasion they 



FIFTH MONTH. 91 

must get control of the rivers, so that they could depend 
upon them for supplies, for the rivers would be much 
more reliable than the railroads, which could be torn up 
by the enemy. 

Grant's plans were to break up the Confederate line 
of defense, and open the Mississippi River. 

Confederate Line of Defense. (In Brief.) 

The Confederate line of defense extended from Nor- 
folk to Columbus ; from Columbus to the Gulf ; the coast 
of the Gulf and of the Atlantic to Norfolk. 

Line of Advance Upon Confederate Line of Defense. 

The Union army in the West began by making an 
advance upon the Confederate line of defense. At Mill 
Springs, General Thomas in January, 1862, defeated the 
Confederates under Zollicoffer. This battle was only 
a small affair, but it greatly encouraged the Union sol- 
diers. 

The next move was made upon Fort Henry and Fort 
Danelson. The Confederates wanted to protect Tennes- 
see from invasion, therefore they built two forts, one at 
Fort Henry, on the Tennessee River, and the other- at 
Fort Donelson, on the Cumberland River. If these two 
places could be taken, the Union forces could gain con- 
trol of the two rivers, besides break the Confederate line 
of defense in the center. Commodore Foote, with his 
fleet, made an attack upon Fort Henry. He was to have 
been assisted by General Grant, but Grant did not get 
there in time to take part in the capture of it. Foote was 
successful, and Fort Henry surrendered February 6, 1862. 
He next moved against Fort Donelson, but his ships 
were damaged so badly that he was compelled to with- 
draw. Grant surrounded the fort with 30,000 men, and 
compelled the Confederates under General Buckner to 
surrender February 16, 1862. This broke the Confeder- 
ate line of defense, and opened the Tennessee and Cum- 
berland rivers for a long distance. The Confederates 
abandoned Bowling Green and Columbus, and evacuated 



S2 FIFTH MONTH. 

Nashville. All of Kentucky and most of Tennessee were 
now held by the Union forces. 

Shiloh or Pittsburg Landing and Island Number Ten. 

Grant took up his position at Shiloh, near Pittsburg 
Landing. Here he was attacked, and the first day driven 
back by the Confederates. The Confederate General, 
Albert Sidney Johnston, tried hard to drive Grant into 
the Tennessee River, but the next day General Buell 
arrived with reinforcements for Grant, and after fighting 
all day, the Confederates under Beaureguard were forced 
to retreat. This was one of the most stubbornly fought 
battles of the war, and both sides lost heavily. The 
Union loss was about 15,000 ; the Confederate about 
10,700. After the Confederates had been defeated at 
Shiloh, they took up their position at Corinth. This was 
an important point near the Confederate railroad. Sol- 
diers and supplies which came off the steamers could be 
landed there, and then could be hauled to the railroad. 
If the Union army could get possession of this railroad, 
which extended from Memphis to Chattanooga, they 
thought they could starve the Confederates until they 
would give up the war. This was Grant's object when 
he was attacked at Pittsburg Landing. In May, the Con- 
federates surrendered Corinth, and it was occupied by 
Union troops. 

Island Number Ten. on the Mississippi River, was 
taken by General Pope and Commodore Foote, April 8, 
1862. The two armies fought for over a month. At last 
the Confederates surrendered. This opened the Missis- 
sippi down to Vicksburg. 

Line of Advance upon Vicksburg. (In Full.) (1 and 2) 
Plans; Failures; Why? Daring of it and Success. 

After the battles of luka and Corinth, Grant was 
put in command of the Army of the West, and allowed 
to work out his own plans. He decided that the capture 
of Vicksburg should be the next important event. Gen- 
eral Sherman, aided by the gunboats, was to go down 
the ^lississippi from Memphis, land on the Yazo and 



FIFTH MONTH. 9a 

attack the city from the north side. Grant was to ad- 
vance from Holly Springs directly toward Vicksburg, 
and occupy the attention of General Pemberton, who 
commanded a Confederate army in northern Mississippi, 
and prevent him from sending aid to Vicksburg. Gen- 
eral Rosecrans was to advance against General Bragg, 
'who, with another Confederate force, was near Murphys- 
boro, and keep him from sending troops into Mississippi. 
It was expected that Sherman would thus be able to cap- 
ture Vicksburg, or that Grant's and Sherman's armies 
could unite and capture it. 

The armies started according to the plan, but a Con- 
federate force of cavalry raided Holly Springs and de- 
stroyed Grant's depot of supplies, so he was unable to 
advance. Sherman, not knowing of Grant's misfortune, 
went ahead with his attack, but was badly defeated. The 
whole plan had failed because Grant could not protect 
his line of supplies for such a long advance into the coun- 
try as a start from the north involved. Besides, the plan 
was bad. It involved the co-operation of armies too dis- 
tant from each other, and each liable to defeat before 
the other could aid it. Some plan would have to be 
worked out that would permit of all the forces being- 
used in one large army. 

In the Spring of 1863 Grant, after trying to cut a 
canal past Vicksburg, decided to march his army down 
th'e west side of the river to a point some twenty-five 
miles below Vicksburg, have his gunboats and transports 
run past the batteries, and then, with the aid of his boats, 
transfer his entire army to the east bank of the river, 
and then attack Vicksburg from the east, or rear side. 

General Pemberton, with a strong army, was in 
Vicksburg watching Grant, and General Johnston was 
collecting another army near Jackson. Grant planned 
to get between these two armies and prevent them from 
uniting. So long as they were divided, his army was 
stronger than either, but united they were possibly more 
than a match for him. The success of the plans ^turned 
upon the energy and speed with which it was executed. 



94 FIFTH MONTH. 

A delay might easily mean failure and a defensive strug- 
gle with the combined Confederate armies. If the attack 
was made with sufficient energy both Vicksburg and 
Pemberton's army would be captured. He succeeded in 
getting his army across the river without much opposi- 
tion, captured Port Gibson, pushed on rapidly and de- 
feated General Johnston's army at Jackson, seized the 
railroad over which Pemberton got his supplies, turned 
west, and defeated General Pemberton's army at Cham- 
pion's Hill, and again at Big Black River, and so drove 
him back into Vicksburg. Grant intended to capture 
Pemberton's whole army as well as Vicksburg. Failing 
to capture the place by direct assault, he had to settle 
down and take the place by regular siege operations. In 
the meantime Johnston had reorganized his army, recap- 
tured Jackson, and was trying to force Grant to give up 
the siege. Pemberton was inside. Grant was just out- 
side, and Johnston was on the outside of Grant's army. 
As Grant's army received its provisions from the boats 
in the Mississippi River, it was in no danger of being cut 
off from its supplies, and sufficient reinforcements soon 
reached him to enable him to fortify the ground east of 
him, so as to prevent Johnston from interfering. Gen- 
eral Pemberton and his army of 35,000 men were entirely 
cut off from supplies by the boats in the river, and 
Grant's army on the east, and as their provisions were 
soon exhausted, they were forced to surrender, July 4, 
1863. 

Farragut's Work at New Orleans. 
Captain Farragut, with a large fleet, and General 
Butler, with a land force, undertook to capture New Or- 
leans. The Confederates protected the city by building 
two forts, one on each side of the river. Below these 
forts two heavy iron chains were stretched from the 
hulks of sunken ships. Yet before they could get to 
New Orleans it was necessary to run through a fleet of 
Confederate gunboats. Several days were spent in try- 
ing to reduce the forts. Finally Commodore Farragut 
cut the chains and ran past the forts with his ships, but 



FIFTH MONTH. 95 

exposed his men to a terrible cannonade from the forts. 
At last he reached New Orleans above the forts, and 
captured the city April 25, 1862. This great victory gave 
the Union government the control of the lower Missis- 
sippi. General Butler (Union) held the city after it had 
been captured. 

Confederate Attempt to Regain Kentucky and Tennessee, 
Therefore Bragg's Advance and Defeat, Chatta- 
nooga and Chickamauga. 

The Confederates attempted to regain Kentucky and 
Tennessee. General Bragg (Confederate) made his way 
toward Louisville, Kentucky. General Buell (Union) 
found out his plans and tried to get there first. Bragg 
learned that Buell was being reinforced, therefore he 
retreated to Perryville. Here the two armies met and 
a desperate battle was fought. Bragg was defeated and 
was driven back into Tennessee and went into winter 
quarters at Murfreesboro. Rosecrans was now given 
command of Buell's army. 

Rosecrans attacked Bragg at Murfreesboro, and 
after severe fighting, the Confederates withdrew farther 
south. Rosecrans waited about six months, then moved 
against Bragg at Chattanooga and compelled him to 
leave that place. Bragg took up his position at Chicka- 
mauga. Here, after receiving reinforcements, he turned 
to face Rosecrans, and a sharp battle was fought at 
Chickamauga, Georgia, September 19th and 20th, 1863. 
Rosecrans was badly defeated, but the entire army was 
saved from destruction by General Thomas, who held 
his own so strongly that he was ever afterwards called 
the "Rock of Chickamauga." The Confederates' attempt 
to regain Kentucky and Tennessee ended in a failure. 

War in the East vs. Richmond. First Advance of McClel- 

lan; Route; Objections to It. His Progress. 

Seven Days' Battles. 

The North was growing impatient because McClel- 
lan did not make an advance upon Richmond, the Con- 
federate capital. Finally, in March, 1862, McClellan 



96 FIFTH MONTH. 

was ready to move. This was tlie lirst advance of 
McClellan. His plan was to take his troops from Wash- 
ington -by water to the peninsula between the James 
and York rivers. By choosing this route he thought 
he could reach Richmond without having to dispute with 
the enemy over any of the great rivers. Johnston would 
be forced to leave Bull Run and go to the defense of 
Richmond. 

The great objections to this plan were that Johnston 
might not try to defend Richmond, but might march 
against Washington ; besides, General "Stonewall" Jack- 
son was close at hand in the Shenandoah Valley, and 
might march down the valley and make a dash on Wash- 
ington, therefore, Stanton, Secretary of War, and Lin- 
coln ordered McClellan to leave about 75,000 men under 
^McDowell, Banks, and Fremont to protect Washington 
and keep the Confederates from coming down the Shen- 
andoah. McClellan took the remainder of his army from 
W^ashington to Fortress Monroe, and after he had drilled 
his army for about a rnonth in order to attack Yorktown, 
the Confederates quietly moved away to Richmond. 
^IcClellan started after them, intending to have a battle 
with them at Williamsburg, but they got away again. 
McClellan followed them until within seven miles of 
Richmond. In following the enemy, the Union army 
got into a dangerous position. Heavy rains had caused 
the Chickahominy River to rise, and this cut the army 
in two. Johnston knew this was his opportunity, and 
struck the southern half of the Union army at Fair Oaks. 
On the first day of the battle the Confederates were 
successful, but were defeated the second day. The Con- 
federate commander, Joseph E. Johnston, was wounded 
and the command was given to Robert E. Lee. Lee 
summoned Johnston from the Shenandoah Valley, and 
attacked McClellan from the 26th of June to the 2d of 
July, 1862. This is known as the Seven Days' Battles. 
McClellan was forced to leave on account of provisions, 
and took up his position at the east of the James River, 
but later moved back to the neighborhood of W'ashing- 
ton. 



FIFTH MONTH. 97 

The Confederates had boldly defended their capital, 
and McClellan's advance on Richmond had ended in a 
failure. 

Second Advance of Confederates. (Review First Ad- 
vance, i. e., Bull Run.) Route of Lee, Therefore, 
Second Battle of Bull Run. 

When Joseph E. Johnston was wounded at Fair 
Oaks, the command of the Confederate army was given 
to Robert E. Lee. The Confederates had already made 
one advance against Washington in the first battle of 
Bull Run. Lee's route was north from Fair Oaks to- 
ward Washington, where he was determined to attack 
Pope, who held command of the Union forces near 
Washington. 

Pope met the armies of Lee and Jackson on the old 
Bull Run battlefield. They fought for two days, August 
29th and 30th. Pope's army was defeated, and he was 
forced to fall back to Washington. He then resigned 
his command, and his army was united with that of 
McClellan. 

Advance in Maryland, Therefore, ("Barbara Frietchie") 
Battle of Antietam. 

Lee made an advance into Maryland, and was deter- 
mined to win that State for the Confederacy. But when 
he arrived there he was treated so coldly that he soon 
knew that Maryland had no desire to become a part of 
the ''Confederate States of America." Shortly after en- 
tering the State, Lee and Jackson took Frederick, and 
then intended to move on Baltimore or Philadelphia. 

The poem, "Barbara Frietchie," written by John G. 
Whittier, tells the story of how Barbara Frietchie, 
of Frederick, a woman ninety years of age, raised the 
liag from her attic window, and how Jackson ordered 
his men to shoot it down. Scarcely had it been shot 
doAvn and the staf¥ broken, when she waved it again, 
saying : 

"Shoot, if you must, this old gray head. 
But spare your country's fiag." 



98 - FIFTH MONTH. 

When Jackson, who had once fought under the 
American flag- in the Revolutionary War, saw how loyal 
Barbara Frietchie was to her country, he gave the com- 
mand to his soldiers : 

"Who touches a hair of yon gray head, 

Dies like a dog ! March on ! he said." 

General McClellan followed the Confederates after 
they left Frederick, * and forced Lee to turn westward. 
The two armies met at Antietam, and here one of the 
bloodiest battles of the war was fought, September 17, 
1862. Lee was forced to retreat after a heavy loss. The 
Confederates lost eleven thousand men, and the Union 
army lost twelve thousand. Lee recrossed the Potomac 
into Virginia. Lincoln ordered McClellan to follow him, 
but because he moved so slowly, he was removed from 
command, and Burnside became his successor. 

Contest for "Right of Wiay/' Therefore Fredericksburg; 
Chancellorsville. 

General Burnside began a third advance on Rich- 
mond. He crossed the Rappahannock, and met the Con- 
federates under Lee, who were protected by the fortified 
heights around Fredericksburg. The Union army made 
the attack, December 13, 1862, and was defeated with a 
loss of 13,000 men. The Confederates lost 4,000. Burn- 
side was dismissed from command, and Hooker took his 
place. 

Hooker now thought he would reach Richmond 
from the Rappahannock River. The two armies met at 
a small place called Chancellorsville. The battle was 
fought Alay 1 to 4, 1863. The Confederates were under 
Lee and Jackson. Hooker was defeated and lost 17,000 
men. Even though victorious, it was a sad battle for 
the Confederates, for in this battle ''Stonewall" Jackson, 
through a mistake, was shot by one of his own men, and 
died a few days later. It is probable that the Union 
armv would not have been defeated had it not been that 



FIFTH MONTH. 99 

y General Hooker was stunned by a cannon ball, and was 
not able to o-ive commands for several hours. 

This was the fifth campaign against Richmond, and 
it ended in another failure. 

Third Advance of Confederates, (in Full) Lee's Plans 

for Moving Northward. Comparative Strength of 

Armies. Hooker's Wishes, (Refusal) 

Resignation. 

General Lee felt greatly encouraged by his great 
victory at Chancellorsville. and resolved to move north- 
ward, through Maryland into Pennsylvania, where he 
intended to capture Philadelphia and New York, and 
then move on Washington. He thought if he was suc- 
cessful, England and France would then help the Con- 
federacy. This was the third time the Confederates ad- 
vanced into the Northern States. Lee had a fine army 
of 70,000 men. Hooker, who had 100,000, started afteV 
him as fast as he could, to prevent him from making an 
attack on Philadelphia. 

Just in the midst of the campaign, Hooker wanted 
to withdraw the Union force which was at Harper's 
Ferry. This the War Department would not permit, 
whereupon Hooker asked to be removed from command, 
and, being refused, he resigned and was succeeded by 
General George G. Meade. The new Union commander 
pushed on to Gettysburg, where he met the Confeder- 
ates under Lee. 

Battle of Gettysburg. Position of Armies; Results of 
First and Second Days' Battle and Position for 
Third Day. Longstreet's Advice and Lee's. 
Objections. Picket's Charge. Outcome. 
Importance. 
Gettysburg w^as one of the most important and de- 
cisive battles of the war. Both sides fought with the 
most desperate courage. The Confederates held Semi- 
nary Ridge ; the Union men, Cemetery Ridge, nearlv 
opposite. The battle lasted three days, July 1 to 4, 1863. 
On the first day the Confederates having far greater 



100 FIFTH MONTH. 

numbers, gained the advantage. On the second da}r 
Lee's men made a rush to get Little Round Top, but 
were beaten back with heavy loss. Later they got a 
foothold on Gulp's Hill, b-ut were soon driven out. 

Long-street advised Lee not to make a final attack, 
.but Lee was determined to risk it, and the third day Lee 
sent Pickett with a force of 15,000 Confederates to attack 
General Hancock on Gemetery Ridge. To reach the 
ridge they had to cross a mile of open ground. They 
came forward steadily, silently, under a terrible fire 
from the Union guns. Their ranks were ploughed 
through and through with shot and shell, but the men 
did not falter. They charged up the slight rise of 
ground and broke a part of the Union line ; but they 
could go no further, and Pickett', with the fragments of 
his division — for only fragments were left — fell back de- 
feated. It was the end of the most stubbornly fought 
battle of the war; nearly fifty thousand brave men had 
fallen in the contest. Lee had failed; he retreated 
across the Potomac, and never made another attempt 
to invade the North. — From ''Montgomery's Leading- 
Facts of American History. Ginn & Company, Publishers, 
PP- 3i^> 317- 

Situation on July 4, 1863, in East and West. 

In the East the Confederates surrendered Vicksburg 
July 4, 1863, and in the West Gettysburg was held by 
the Union army July 4, 1863. This was indeed a mem- 
orable Fourth of July. 



Sixth Month. 

THE WORK OF 1864 AND 1865. 

The Lieutenant General. His Plans for Himself and 
Sherman, Therefore Sherman's Advance Upon At- 
lanta and His March to the Sea and 
Northward. 

Grant had been so successful in the Vicksburg and 
Chattanooga campaigns that the people had great con- 
fidence in him, and in March, 1864, President Lincoln 
appointed him Lieutenant General. He was to command 
all the armies of the United States. 

General Grant's plans were for Sherman and others 
to make an attack on Johnston, enter Georgia, and then 
push on to the sea, while he (Grant) would take charge 
of the forces in the East, drive Lee back, and make an 
advance on Richmond, the Confederate capital. 

Sherman started on the work assigned to him, and 
left Chattanooga to take Atlanta, which was an im- 
portant railway center for the Confederates. They had 
only two places of power left, one was at Richmond, 
Virginia, under Lee, the other at Dalton, Georgia, un- 
der Johnston. 

Sherman on May 4, 1864, marched direct from Chat- 
tanooga against Johnston at Dalton, Georgia. Johnston 
w^as defeated and retreated step by step toward Atlanta. 
Shortly before reaching Atlanta, the Confederate gov- 
ernment removed Johnston, and put Hood in command. 
Hood made several attacks on Sherman's army, but was 
repulsed every time with great loss. At last Hood could 
hold Atlanta no longer, and Sherman took the place Sep- 
tember 2, 1864, and Hood started northward. Sherman 
•fired Atlanta ; spared nothing but the dwellings and 
churches. The loss of Atlanta was a great blow to the 
Confederates. Sherman now left Atlanta and set out 
for the seacoast, through the heart of the Confederacy. 



102 SIXTH MONTH. 

He had an army of 60,000 men. The troops went in four 
columns, covering a belt sixty miles wide. The soldiers 
lived on the country through which they traveled, and 
so strong was the army that the Confederates could not 
check it. He marched directly through the granary of 
the South, burnt bridges, tore up railroads and destroyed 
everything that came in his way. Fort McAllister de- 
fended Savannah, but it was soon taken and Sherman 
entered Savannah December 21, 1864. 

Sherman and his troops stayed a few days over a 
month in Savannah. On February 1, 1865, he turned 
northward from Savannah, and set out for Goldsboro, 
North Carolina. On" the 16th of February he received 
the surrender of Columbia, the capital of South Caro- 
lina. Two days later, February 18th, Charleston sur- 
rendered. January 13-15, 1865, a second assault was 
made on Wilmington, and after a great deal of fighting, 
the Confederates were defeated. They now had lost 
their last seaports. After several sharp battles, Sherman 
was able to enter Goldsboro, in March, 1865. 

Grant's Hammering Campaign. Route, Advance ; Atten- 
tion to EfiForts to Divert Him, (e. g., Sherman 
vs. Early.) 

While Sherman was going through Georgia and the 
Carolinas, hammering on Johnston and later Hood, 
Grant was in Virginia hammering on Lee. Grant had 
130,000 men, and intended to push steadily forward to 
Richmond. 

Crossing the Rapidan River, the army entered the 
\\'ilderness, which was a stretch of country covered with 
a low growth of oak, pine and other brush. Here Lee 
attacked Grant, but was unable to check him, and he 
moved on to Spottsylvania, where the two armies fought 
for several days, and Grant lost thousands of his men, 
but could not defeat the enemy. He moved on to Cold 
Harbor, where a terrible battle was fought, and Grant 
was beaten back. Lee took up his position in Richmond, 
which was strongly fortified, and Grant moved on and 
took up his position opposite Petersburg, which formed 



SIXTH MONTH. 103 

part of the defense of Richmond on the south. Grant 
made a dash on Petersburg, but was repulsed. A few 
days later he tried it again, and was repulsed a second 
time. He now knew that if he ever hoped to take the 
place, he would have to lay siege to it as he had done at 
Vicksburg. General Lee sent General Early to threaten 
Washington, and if possible to take it. He did this in 
order to draw Grant from the siege of Richmond. When 
Early reached Washington, he found the fortifications 
stronger than he had expected. He then had to retreat up 
the Shenandoah Valley. The Confederates seized all the 
horses and cattle they could find, robbed banks and se- 
cured a great deal of booty. This of course would be of 
great value to the Confederates, for they were running 
short of all sorts of supplies. Early felt perfectly safe, for 
no troops had been sent against him. He then ordered a 
body of troops to Chambersburg, Pennsylvania. When 
the troops arrived, they demanded that the citizens of 
Chambersburg should give them $100,000 in gold. They 
refused, and the troops burned Chambersburg. General 
Grant' now sent General Sheridan to deal with Early. 
The two generals met at Winchester, September 19th. A 
sharp battle was fought, in which Early was defeated. 
Three days later they met again, and a battle was fought 
at Fisher's Hill, and Early was defeated a second time. 
Early received reinforcements, and while Sheridan was 
away, he made an attack on Sheridan's army at Cedar 
Creek, and w^as driving it in confusion, when Sheridan 
unexpectedly arrived,, gathered his men together, turned 
on the Confederates and routed them with great slaugh- 
ter. In fact, he completely destroyed Early's army. This 
w^as the last time the Confederates made an attempt to 
threaten Washington. 

Siege of Petersburg. 

Grant laid siege to Petersburg. It lasted for ten 
months. The Union army thought they could gain en- 
trance into Petersburg if they could blow up one of the 
forts in front of the place. They, therefore, dug a mine, 
and placed eight thousand pounds of powder in it, and 



104 SIXTH MONTH. 

July 3U, 186 J:, just at dawn, the powder was fired. Three 
hundred men, several cannons and great masses of earth 
were thrown high into the air. The Union soldiers 
thought they could rush through this gap and enter 
Petersburg, but they were repulsed w^ith terrible slaugh- 
ter. The Petersburg mine was a failure. When the year 
1864 closed, the siege of Petersburg was still in progress, 
but Grant finally took it April 2, 1865, after a great many 
battles had been fought, and on the 3d of April, 1865, the 
Union soldiers entered Richmond. 

Lee's Evacuation of Richmond. Pursuit. Surrender. 

Terms. 

On April 2d, Lee evacuated Richmond, and Grant 
entered the place and hoisted the old flag over the city. 
Lee and his army tried to escape to the mountains, but 
the Union cavalry hotly pursued them, and Sheridan 
placed his army across their path at Appomattox Court 
House. Lee knew he was surrounded and surrendered to 
Grant, April 9, 1865, at Appomattox Court House. 

Jefferson Davis, the President of the Confedieracy, 
Avas captured and put in prison at Fort Monroe, but was 
released in 1867. 

After Lee had surrendered, the remainder of the 
Confederacy rapidly went to pieces. As soon as Johnston 
heard of Lee's surrender, he knew it was useless for him 
to try to hold out any longer, therefore he surrendered 
to Sherman near Raleigh, North Carolina, April 26, 1865. 
Grant treated the Confederate soldiers very generously. 
He ordered twenty-five thousand rations of food to be 
given td Lee's men, who were almost starved. He 
allowed each soldier to keep his horse. All he asked of 
the Confederate w^as to obey the Federal laws, to lay 
down their arms, and return to their homes. Grant un- 
doubtedly showed great nobleness of soul. 

Outlook 

The South was in a sad condition after the war. A 
great amount of property had been destroyed by the 
man}^ armies that had marched through the South. The 



SIXTH MONTH. 105 

Southern ports had been blockaded. The people had no 
money, hardly any clothing, and scarcely enough to eat. 
Their slaves had been set free, and it seemed as though 
poverty was on every hand. In the North the people 
came out of the struggle more prosperous than when 
they began, for all business had gone on with increased 
activity, and thousands prospered and grew rich ; but 
in the South it appeared as if the people would have 
many years of poverty and hardship. 

Assassination of Lincoln. 

President Lincoln was sitting in a box at Ford's 
Theatre, in Washington, when he was shot, on the night 
of April 14, 1865, by John Wilkes Booth. 

Booth quickly mounted a horse and rode away, but 
was hunted by soldiers, and at last found in a barn in 
Virginia. He was shot in his hiding place, April 26, 
while resisting arrest. 

Booth, with a number of conspirators, intended to 
murder Lincoln, Grant and the members of the Cabinet. 
The conspirators were soon discovered and either hanged 
or shot. 

Lincoln lived until the next morning, April 15, 1865. 
Andrew Johnson acted as President during the remainder 
of the term. 

POLITICAL MOVEMENTS DURING THE WAR. 

The Attitude of the Admiistration in 1861 Toward Slav- 
ery. As Seen in the Republican Party Platform. 

The platform of the Republican Party in 1861 de- 
clared slavery was wrong, and that its further extension 
should be prohibited by Congress. 

As Seen in the President's Inaugural. 

President Lincoln, in his inaugural address, said: 
^'I have no purpose, directly or indirectly, to interfere 
with the institution of slavery in the States where it 
exists. I believe I have no lawful right to do so, and I, 
have no inclination to do so." He also made it perfectly 



106 SIXTH MONTH. 

clear that no State had a right to leave the Union, and 
that he would use his utmost power to protect and de- 
fend the laws of the Union. 

As Seen in Crittenden's Resolutions. 

A number of plans were proposed in Congress for 
compromising the trouble, between the North and South 
over slaver}-. The most notable was that uf Senator 
Crittenden, of Kentucky. He proposed that the Consti- 
tution should be so amended as to provide: 

1. That all territory of the United States north of 
36° 30' should be free, and all south of it slave soil. 

2. That slaves should be protected as property by 
all of the departments of the territorial government. 

3. That States should be admitted with or without 
slavery as their Constitutions provided, whetlier the 
States were north or south of 36° 30'. 

4. That Congress should have no power to- shut 
slavery out of the Territories. 

5. That the United States should pay owners for 
rescued fugitive slaves. 

All of these propositions put the black man en the 
level with horses and cattle. The Republicans rejected 
them, and the attempt to compromise ended in a failure. 
— McM aster, pp. ^So, ^8i. 

Conditions Leading to the Call for Troops. Story of 
Fort Sumter. Object; Number. Response. 

•'See Fourth Month's Work, pp. 85 and d,&:' 
Attitude of Northern Democrats. Influence of Douglas. 

The Northern Democrats, including Douglas, who 
had always been an antagonist of Lincoln, promised the 
President their heartiest aid in preserving the Union. 

Douglas died in June. 1861, a short time after the 
war began, but he did all in his power for the Union up 
to the very last. 

Importance of the Fact That the South Was the Ag- 
gressor. 
It was a matter of great importance that the South- 
erners had begun the war. It at once put them in the po- 



SIXTH MONTH. 107 

sition of attempting- to destroy t^he Union by armed force. 
Probably a majority of the people at the North were 
opposed to attacking a State to force it to stay in the 
Union, but they were even more opposed to a State using- 
force to break up the government. Thousands of people 
would resist an aggressive war against the South, and 
especially were they opposed to a war to destroy slavery. 
They were, however, heartily in favor of fighting to save 
the Union against the attacks of rebels. The attack on 
Fort Sumter made the war from the start a war to save 
the Union. That was just what Lincoln intended it 
should be. 
Secession of More States; Why Not All Slave States? 

As soon as President Lincoln called for troops. 
North Carolina, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Virginia joined 
the Confederacy. When V^irginia seceded, the Confeder- 
ate capital was moved from Montgomery, Alabama, to 
Richmond, so that it would be close to Washington, 
around which the struggle was sure to take place. 

Maryland, Delaware, Kentucky and Missouri were 
slave-holding States, but they did not secede because 
the Union men outnumbered the Secessionists. The west- 
ern part of Virginia did not secede because it was a 
mountain region and did not have many negroes. It 
separated from Virginia, and became known as West 
Virginia. 

Impossibility of Evading the Slavery Question. Butler's 
"Contraband of War." 

Many negroes ran away from their masters and 
joined the Union army. The Union generals did not 
know what to do with them until General Benjamin F. 
Butler solved the question when he said that the slaves 
w;ere "contraband of war" ; this meant that they were 
good for war purposes, and that in time of war articles 
carried by neutrals in vessels or otherwise, which are for 
the assistance of an enemy in carrying- on war, are said 
to be contraband of war. Butler applied the term "con- 
traband" to the negroes who came within the Union 
lines. 



108 SIXTH MONTH. 

Butler soon put them to work on the fortifications. 
Lincohi liked Butler's action, and it was soon officially 
.approved. 

Action of Democratic and Abolitionist Generals. 

In the absence of any positive policy toward slavery, 
each general had to do as he thought best when negroes 
entered his lines. General McClellan, on entering West 
Virginia in June, 1861, issued a statement assuring the 
people of that region that he would in no way interfere 
with their property rights in slaves. He had assured 
them that he would put down any slave insurrection. 

General Butler had refused to surrender any slaves 
who entered his lines, and had put them to work aiding 
the soldiery. His action was approved by the Secretary 
of War. Negroes were used by the Southern troops in 
various ways, such as personal servants, teamsters, labor- 
ers on fortifications, and some said to fight at Bunker 
Hill. 

Necessity for Uniformity, Therefore August 6th Law. 
Twofold Object in It. 

The facts mentioned in the preceding topic forced 
■Congress to adopt some definite policy, and on August 
'6, 1861, the first Confiscation Act was passed. This freed 
all slaves used in any way to aid the rebellion. The law 
was intended to weaken the South by depriving it of the 
aid of the slaves in all military services, and also to solve 
the problem of negroes coming within the army lines. 
The army had in it too many men opposed to slavery 
to permit it to be used to catch runaway negroes. It 
<:ould be shown that most negroes who entered the lines 
had been used directly or indirectly in aid of rebellion ; 
consequently, this law was the first of a long series of 
emancipation measures, and under it thousands of negroes 
became free. 

Lincoln's Determination to Hold to the Law as Seen in 
His Treatment of Fremont. 

In 1861, General Fremont issued a proclamation de- 
claring any person who should take up arms against 



SIXTH MONTH. 10» 

United States, or even assist the enemies of the United 
States, should have their property confiscated. He also 
declared the slaves of all persons in Missouri who were 
at war against the Union should be forever free. 

President Lincoln declared the August 6th Law did 
not apply to the border States, and as Missouri was a 
border State, he refused to ratify Fremont's action. He 
declared it would alarm our Southern Union friends, be- 
sides it might ruin our prospects for Kentucky. He also 
said it was not a case of military necessity, therefore the 
proclamation of Fremont was not constitutional, and that 
he as well as most of the people, were not ready to 
reo^ard the war for the Union as a war to put down 
slavery. It is said that Fremont, by issuing this procla- 
mation, hoped to reap great popularity for himself. 
Finally Fremont was removed from command and Gen- 
eral David Hunter took his place. 

As Seen in His Treatment of Hunter. 

In May, 1861, General David Hunter, in South Caro- 
lina, issued a military order declaring the slaves of the 
three States — Georgia, Florida, and South Carolina — for- 
ever free. President Lincoln did not approve of this, for 
he knew the Union men in the border States would Avith- 
draw their support from the war if they thought it was 
a war for abolition. Lincoln also declared Hunter had 
no right to issue such a proclamation without first con- 
sulting him. He held this distinct reservation of execu- 
tive power for himself, and his very first comment upon 
Hunter's action was positive and emphatic. 

In the Spring of 1862, Lincoln, in a message to Con- 
gress, recommended a scheme of compensated emancipa- 
tion, for the border States; but even after the scheme 
had passed both houses, the border States could not see 
how even for pay they could give up the African ser- 
vants, and if they would give them up they did not see 
w^hat they could do with such a large population of free 
negroes. Lincoln thought if the masters would take pay 
for their slaves, and in that way give up slavery, it would 



110 SIXTH MONTH. 

shorten the war, and the expense of carrying on the war 
would easily pay for the slaves. 

Importance of the Border States. 

General Anderson telegraphed to President Lincoln 
immediately after General Fremont had issued his procla- 
mation of emancipation, and said that a number of volun- 
teers threw down their arms and disbanded as soon as 
they heard of the proclamation. Lincoln knew this 
would never do, for much depended upon the border 
States, for if the border States would take up arms 
against the Union, we might as well agree to separate at 
once, and have two republics within the United S.ta.tes. 

Opposition to Lincoln Because of Fremont. 
AMien President Lincoln denounced the proclama- 
tion of emancipation issued by Fremont, a small but 
very active political party opposed Lincoln. No matter 
what Lincoln did about slavery, the Democratic press 
always declared he did too much, while the Fremont 
press declared he did too little. 

Growing Opposition to Slavery Expressed by Law for 
the District of Columbia. 

In March, 1862, President Lincoln sent a special 
message to Congress, in which he stated that he was in 
favor of the passage of a bill for the immediate emanci- 
pation of the slaves in the District of Columbia. The 
slave owners were to be paid three hundred dollars for 
each slave. The bill was greatly opposed by the Demo- 
crats, but was favored by the Republicans, but finally 
passed both houses, was signed by the President, and be- 
came a law April 6^ 1862. 

Opposition to Slavery by the Law for All the Other 
Territories. 
June 19, 1862, Congress abolished slavery in all tlie 
territories of the United States. This act of Congress 
killed the idea that the people of the territories could 
decide for themselves whether they wanted slavery or not. 
It also set aside the Dred Scott decision. 



SIXTH MONTH. Ill 

Why Not for Slaves? (Report of Committee of 1790.) 

In abolishing slavery in the territories, Congress was 
only acting within its established right of legislating for 
the territories. The Constitution gives Congress full 
power over such regions, and that power had been used 
repeatedly to prohibit slavery, as was done by the Ordi- 
nance of 1787, the Missouri Compromise of 1820, and the 
Oregon Act. The Republican Party was founded on the 
principle that it was the duty of Congress to prohibit 
slayery in all the territories of the United States. Chief 
Justice Taney had held that Congress had no power to 
make any such prohibition ; but many people did not 
agree with him, and the Republican majority in Congress 
had finally decided to ignore his decision. The law was 
not made to extend to the States because Congress had 
no constitutional power whatever to make laws of that 
kind of States. Its power was limited to territories of 
the United States. States are not terriories. That ques- 
tion had been decided by Congress in the famous report 
of the Committee of 1790, and the Republican party 
had steadily held that it had no intention of interfering 
with slavery in the States where it existed, but was op- 
posed to the spread of slavery into the territories of the 
United States. Slavery in the States could only be 
reached by some use of the military power of .the gov- 
ernment or by another Constitutional amendment. 

Opposition to Lincoln by Abolitionists. 

A dissatisfied faction of the Republican Party were 
known as Radical Republicans, and were opposed to Lin- 
coln because they thought he was too slow in abolishing 
slavery. They formed a separate ticket and nominated 
Fremont for President, but he withdrew before the elec- 
tion. 

Fall Elections of 1862. (Which Congress?) Results as 

per Returns for Senate, House. (Vote in Northern 

States and Border States.) 

In the fall election of 1862, the Republicans elected 
thirty-six Senators and one hundred two Representa- 



112 SIXTH MONTH. 

lives to the thirty-eighth Congress, which was to meet 
in December, 1863. 

The Democrats elected fourteen Senators and sev- 
enty-five Representatives. The Border States elected 
nine Representatives. 

Causes. The Feeling Over the Military Situation. The 
Voting Power of the Army. 

In the fall election of 1862 the Republicans had lost 
some of their power, for many States that had voted for 
Lincoln in 1860 went against his administration in 1862,. 
when new Senators and Representatives were to be 
elected. 

I\Iany of the Democrats who stood for the Union 
were oft'ended when they found that Lincoln w^as soon 
to issue an emancipation proclamation, and that the war 
was to drift toward the emancipation of the slaves. Be- 
fore this time the North had been fighting to compel the 
seceded States to come back into the Union ; from now 
on that section will fight for Union and Freedom. 

Many of the Radical Republicans were in favor of the 
emancipation long before it came. 

By losing a number of votes of the Democrats and 
Radical Republicans, the election of 1862 showed Repub- 
lican loss and Democratic gains. 

Some ascribed the Republican defeats in the fall 
election to the fact that so many Republican voters had 
entered the army and lost their votes. This assumed 
that Republicans enlisted and Democrats did not. Such 
an assumption was very far from the facts, but it is 
doubtless true that the votes for candidates favorable to 
a vigorous prosecution of the war was reduced because 
the soldiers could not vote. The soldiers believed in the 
war, else they would not have been in the army. They 
were as a class also more radical than the voters at home 
for tw^o reasons. In the first place, they were probably 
radicals to begin Avith. In the second place, their ex- 
perience in close contact with slavery led them to favor 
emancipation as the only way of ending the war. Con- 
sequently, regardless of the original politics of the volun- 



SIXTH MONTH. 113 

teers, a much greater proportion of the army stood for 
vigorous measures than was true of the same number of 
men who remained at home. There were about 800,000 
men in the army at the time of the election (the total on 
January 1, 1863, was 918,191) and according to the way 
they voted in 1864, at least 500,000 of the men would 
have voted for the Republican candidates. That would 
have materially affected the result in several States. 

Outlook for the President. t 

"See pp. 78, 79." ; 

Emancipation^ 2-2-1. 

The President shall be commander-in-chief of the 
army and navy of the United States, and of the militia 
of the several States, when called into the actual service 
of the United States. He may require the opinion, in 
writing, of the principal officer in each of the executive 
departments, upon any subject relating to the duties of 
their respective offices, and he shall have power to grant 
reprieves and pardons for offenses against the United 
States, except in cases of impeachment. 

Lincoln's Right; After His Inauguration. 

President Lincoln, in his inaugural address, said he 
had no right to interfere with slavery where it already 
existed, and he had no intention of doing so, but he did 
intend to keep it from spreading into the territories. But 
as time and war went on all this was changed. Presi- 
dent Lincoln knew that if the States that were engaged 
in war against the Union were allowed to keep their 
slaves, the war would be prolonged. The war was now 
a war for freedom as well as for Union, and Lincoln 
thought he might as well strike slavery a hard blow, yet 
he knew the Constitution nowhere gave him authority to 
abolish slavery. As far back as the days of John Quincy 
Adams, in 1836 and 1842, the idea was held that th? Pres- 
ident as commander-in-chief could order the universal 
emancipation of slaves. Thus we see Lincoln issued this 
proclamation simply as a war measure, for under the 



114 SIXTH MONTH. 

Constitution he had no right to g"i\e the slaves their free- 
dom. He issued it in order to save the Union. 

Object in the Forewarning; Result. 

It became evident that slavery w^as a source of military 
strength to the Confederate States, since they could sup- 
port the Confederate forces in the field, and that it must 
be destroyed in order that the Union mig-ht live, there- 
fore as soon as the Union army w^on the battle of Antie- 
tam Lincoln thought -he v^^ould fulfill the vow he had 
made the God that as soon as victory came to the Union 
army hm would free the slaves ; accordingly on September 
22, 1862, the President issued a preliminary proclamation 
which declared that if the seceded States did not lay 
down their arms and return to the Union before January 
1, 1863, all persons held as slaves within the Confederate 
lines Avould be thenceforth and forever free. 

The Confederacy paid no attention to this forewarn- 
ing ; they wanted to go on with the war. 

Final Proclamation; Scope of It. 

On January 1, 1863, the President issued the final 
proclamation of emancipation declaring free all persons 
held as slaves in the States then in rebellion. 

This proclamation did not apply to the slave States 
of Missouri, Kentucky, Maryland, and Delaware for they 
were loyal to the Union. The western part of A'irginia 
was also loyal to the Union. Any part of the Confederacy 
that was already under the control of the Union army 
was not affected by the proclamation. 

After this proclamation the fugitive slaves were used 
in the union army. 

Attitude Toward It by North and South. 
(See Vallandingham. etc.) 

The Democratic Party in the North was controlled 
by men who thought Lincoln was taking too much power 
upon himself and among- other things greatly condemnea 
him for issuing the emancipation proclamation. Thev 
declared the war was being fought to restore the Union 



SIXTH MONTH. 115 

and not to abolish slavery. This party had many sup- 
porters and gained strength in the Congressional election 
of 1862 but not enough to break the Republican majority 
in the House of Representatives. One of their leaders, 
Vallandingham, made a bitter speech against Lincoln, for 
this he was arrested and condemned to prison by court 
martial but Lincoln changed the punishment and sent him 
across the lines to the Confederates. 

In Ohio and Indiana secret societies known as "The 
Knights of the Golden Circle" were formed. They were 
opposed to the war and were organized to hinder the draft 
of soldiers. 

When Lincoln issued his last call for volunteers, he 
was greatly disappointed, for not nearly enough responded 
to meet the number of men needed, and in July, 1863, 
he began to draft. The draft to many, especially to the 
Democratic members of both Houses of Congress, seemed 
very unpopular; they denounced it as a violation of the 
Constitution, and subversive of popular liberty. The draft 
was especially unpopular in New York City, where mobs 
of rioters resisted it, but they were severely dealt with. 
The necessary men for the army were at length obtained. 
It is estimated that 100,000 persons lost their lives during 
this riot. 

In the South the emancipation proclamation raised the 
people to white heat, and Jefferson Davis in his message 
stated that it was the mo'st execrable measure recorded in 
the history of guilty man, and the Confederate Congress 
in a joint resolution declared that if any white officer of 
negro L^nion soldiers was captured he should be put to 
death. 

Attitude of European Countries Toward Emancipation. 
(Why Not Same Attitude Before?) 

The South had fought so long, and w^ith such great 
bravery that the European nations began to think she might 
succeed, and there was danger that they might go so far 
as to recognize her. But after the emancipation procla- 



116 SIXTH MONTH. 

mation was issued it practically destroyed the possibility 
of any nation recognizing the Confederacy. 

The ruling classes in England had favored the South 
from the beginning, because there was much in common 
between the type of life led by the Southern planter and 
that led by the British counfry lord or squire. They denied 
that the war was a war to destroy slavery ; and, sc long 
as Lincoln and his advisers maintained the same position,, 
it was easy for the middle and laboring classes to be de- 
ceived. The appearance of the l^^mancipation Proclama- 
tion compelled all to realize that the war had become one 
to wipe out slavery. The ruling classes still sympathized 
with the Southern cause, but the attitude of the middle 
as laboring classes was openly and demonstratively in favor 
of the cause o'f freedom. Politicians always try to courc 
the popular favor and so now the ruling classes were 
forced to frown upon any open support of the South. 

Probably other nations were less influenced by the 
Emancipation Proclamation than was England. But 
Russia was friendly, and France dared not act without the 
support of England, consequently the attitude of England 
was all important. From 1863 the British government be- 
gan to give the United States less and less cause for com- 
plaint. This changed attitude is largely traceable to the 
profound anti-slavery sympathy of the majority of the 
English nation. This influence could only make itself felt 
after Lincoln had spoken. 

Lincoln's Desire for Emancipation for the Border States 
With Compensation. 

Lincoln was anxious for the border States to give up 
their slaves for he thought by doing this the South would 
give up the hope that they would join the Confederacy, and 
probably if they saw that the border States had no inten- 
tion of joining the Confederacy they would give up the 
war. In the spring of 1862 he proposed a plan of com- 
pensated emancipation: that is, that payment should be 
made to the slave owners for slaves set free. Thev were 



SIXTH MONTH. 117 

to be given three hundred dollars for each slave they set 
free. 

Congressional Action. 

Congress indorsed President Lincoln's plan of com- 
pensated emancipation, but the border States objected to 
it, and the plan came to nothing. 

Missouri's Action. 

In 1862, a member of the Missouri State Convention 
offered a bill to accept President Lincoln's compensated 
emancipation, and later in 1863 the House passed a bill 
appropriating $10,000,000 and the Senate $15,000,000 with 
v^hich to purchase the slaves from the slave owners. This 
came to nothing as three stubborn pro-slavery men in the 
House prevented action. The question of emancipation 
grew among the people of Missouri, and was hotly dis- 
cussed. Finally in 1863 an ordinance of gradual emanci- 
pation was adopted. 

The Election of 1864. Compared With 1862 and 1864. 
Presidential and Congressional. 

After the defeats of 1862 the Republicans were fear- 
ful of worse defeats in 1864. They decided to unite all 
Union men in one party, so the Republican National Com- 
mittee called a convention of all Union men to meet at 
Baltimore where Lincoln was renominated. A little later 
a Democratic Convention met at Chicago and nominated 
McQellan on a platform that the war was a failure and 
should be stopped. In the meantime, a convention of 
Radical Republicans who thought Lincoln to'o slow had 
nominated Fremont, who finally withdrew so as not to 
divide the Union vote. 

The canvas was short and the result never in serious 
doubt. The States generally had passed laws permitting 
the soldiers to vote and they voted overwhelmingly for 
Lincoln. Their vote was not needed, however, for without 
their vote Lincoln carried all the States but New Jersey, 
Delaware, and Kentucky receiving a total of 214 electoral 
votes, while McClellan received only 21. (Of course the 
seceded States took no part in the election.) 



118 SIXTH MONTH. 

Lincoln's popular vote was much larger than it was in 
1860. In that year he had received only 1,866, 452 votes 
out of a total of 4,682,066; while in 1864 he received 
2,213,665 out of a total vote of 4,166,537. In 1860 Lincoln 
received only a minority of the votes, but in 1864 he had a 
clear majority over all. The election showed also that in 
spite of the heavy loss of life during four years of Civil 
War, the total male population of voting age had increased 
very noticeably. The total vote of the Northern States 
alo'ne in 1864 was nearly as large as the vote of the entire 
United States in 1860. 

The Republicans had regained the seats in Congress 
which they had lost in 1862 and added so many more that 
they commanded more than two-thirds vote in each house. 
With this majority they could pass the proposed amend- 
ment to the -Constitution prohibiting slavery throughout the 
United States. As tt turned out, they also had a majority 
sufficient to pass law<i over a president's veto. 

Military Situation. 

The military situation in 1864 had contributed much 
to the final result. Sherman's successes in the Atlanta 
Campaign, Grant's grinding but persistent fighting, and 
Sheridan's brilliant victories in the Shenandoah convinced 
tne people of the United States that the war was a success 
and not a failure. It was also evident that the end was 
about in sight, as the Confederacy was visibly collapsing. 

Feeling Toward Lincoln. 

The feeling toward Lincoln was generally most favor- 
able. The opposition was not personal but was based upon 
past lack of success, the unpopular arbitrary arrests, and 
upon numerous cases of corruption and bad management by 
subordinate officers of the administration. The kindly per- 
sistent character of Lincoln had won the hearts of the 
people. 

The Thirteenth Amendment. V. Provisions. 

The Congress, whenever two-thirds of both houses shall 
deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to this Con- 



SIXTH MONTH. 119 

stitution, or, on the application o'f the legislatures of two- 
thirds of the several States, shall call a convention for 
proposing amendments, which in either case shall be valid 
to all intents and purposes as part of this Constitution, 
when ratified by the legislatures of three- fourths of the 
several States, or by co'nventions in three- fourths thereof, 
as the one or the other mode of ratification may be pro- 
posd by the Congress, provided that no amendment which 
may be made prior to the year one thousand eight hundred 
and eight shall in any manner affect the first and fourth 
clauses in the ninth section of the first article ; and thai 
no State, without its consent, shall be deprived of its equal 
suffrage in the Senate. 

The provisions of the thirteenth amendment are : 

Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, excej^t as 
a punishment for crime whereof the party shall have been 
duly convicted, shall exist within the United States or any 
place subject to their jurisdiction. 

Congress shall have power to enforce this article by 
appropriate legislation. 

The Thirteenth Amendment to the Constitutio'n was 
declared in force in December, 1865. By the Emancipation 
Proclamation the slaves were set free in the States that 
were at war against the Union, but by the 13th Amend- 
ment slavery was abolished in every State in the Union. 

Action of Congress Before and After Election. 

The Thirteenth Amendment had been proposed early 
in January, 1864, and after much careful consideration was 
passed by the necessary two-thirds majority in the Senate, 
but on June 15 it failed to pass the House — receiving only 
ninety-five votes with sixty-six votes against it. As this 
was less than two-thirds, no further action was taken until 
after the election. As the final ending of slavery had been 
made a prominent issue in the campaign that year, and 
as the Republicans had carried the elections so overwhelm- 
ingly, Congress soon after it co'nvened in December, 1864, 
reopened the matter. This time the opposition was silenced 



120 SIXTH MONTH. 

and on January 21, 1865, it passed the House by 121 for 
to 24 against. 

Action of States. Feeling Throughout the Country. 
The people throughout the country were ready for the 
complete destruction of slavery. The various State legis- 
latures promptly ratified the proposed amendment. Before 
the end of the year two-thirds of all the States had ratified 
the amendment, and on December 18, 1865, it was pro- 
claimed as part of the federal Constitution. It was the first 
amendment in more than sixty years. Several had been 
proposed, but all had failed. The federal Constitution is 
not easily amended, and the ease and rapidity with which 
this amendment was adopted shows how ready the nation 
was for the step. 

The Death of Lincoln. 

"This topic has been given on p. 105." 
The New President, 2-1-6. 

In case of the removal of the President from ofifice, cr 
of his death, resignation, or inability to discharge the 
powers and duties of the said office, the same shall devolve 
on the Vice President, and the Congress may by law provide 
for the case of removal, death, resignation, or inability, 
both of the President and Vice President, declaring what 
officer shall then act as President, and such officer shall act 
accordingly, until the disability be removed, or a President 
shall be elected. 

Lincoln was shot April 14, 1865, and lived until the 
morning of April 15, 1865. As provided for in the Con- 
stitution under 2-1-6, Vice President, Andrew Johnson 
became President and served the remainder of the term. 

Early Life and Education of Johnson. 

Andrew Johnson was born in North Carolina, Decem- 
ber 29, 1808. His parents were poor, and Andrew was 
left fatherless at the age of four. His father was drowned 
while trying to save the life of a friend. 

Andrew had very little schooling because he had to 
make his own living while yet a mere child. He worked 



SIXTH MONTH. 121 

for a tailor for seven years. A visitor to the tailor shop 
used to read to the boy from various authors; this gave 
him a desire to read for himself. In 1825 he moved to 
Tennessee, and in 1826 he was married, and his wife be- 
came his teacher in writing and arithmetic. He was an 
honest and fearless man and very firm. In many ways he 
was like Lincoln, but he was without tact and did not know 
how to lead the people, and had little influence with 
Congress. 

Political Training. 

Johnson was naturally a political leader, and it is said 
that in his public career he held almost every office from 
alderman to President of the United States. In politics 
he was always a Democrat. 

Attitude toward War. 

Although Johnson was a Southerner, he despised 
slavery, and in 1862 Lincoln appointed him war governor 
of Tennessee; he held this position with such satisfaction 
that the Republicans nominated him for Vice President, 
and be was elected with Lincoln in 1865. 

Speeches Upon Lincoln's Death Upon "Traitors." 

The assassination of Lincoln and the murderous and 
nearly successful attack upon Seward at the same time 
seemed to show a conspiracy against the high officials 
of the government. Many prominent people at the 
North, including Grant, believed it was a plot of South- 
ern leaders. Johnson was very outspoken in the mat- 
ter and in one speech said : "Treason is a crime and 
must be punished. Treason must be made infamous, and 
traitors impoverished." He even signed a proclamation 
accusing Jefferson Davis of complicity in the assassina- 
tion, and continued to speak of the crime of the South- 
ern leaders, the punishment of which was death, so per- 
sistently as to inflame the feelings of the North, which 



122 SIXTH MONTH. 

were already bitter enough over the tragedy. His pri- 
vate talk was even more vindictive ; even the most radi- 
cal Republicans feared he would be too bloody and re- 
vengeful in his treatment of Southern leaders. 

Seward's Influence. 

In the quarrel that existed between President John- 
son and Congress, William H. Seward, Secretary of 
State, stood firmly by the President but yet did much to 
induce Johnson to adopt a more friendly attitude toward 
the South. 



Seventh Month. 

THE RECONSTRUCTION PERIOD. 

Lincoln's Ideas. (As Seen in His Last Public Address.) 

■ As soon as it became evident that the North was to 
win in the great struggle for the Union, the great 
problem was how should it use its victory, how should 
the seceded States be restored to their proper place in 
the Union. Many people at the North, considering the 
vast expenditure of life and money, thought that hard 
conditions should be imposed upon the vanquished. 
Lincoln, however, had no vindictiveness in his disposi- 
tion, and from the first favored a policy of forgiveness 
and- magnanimity. He held that the States had never 
been out of the Union, but that certain groups of indi- 
dividuals in the several States, too powerful to be dealt 
with through the courts, had resisted the authority of 
the United States. Therefore, from the first he did all 
he could to encourage the loyal element in the seceded 
States, and favored restoring them to their proper place 
in the Union as soon as they would agree to abolish 
slavery and amend their Constitutions so as to safeguard 
the rights of the negro. He did not even insist on giving 
negroes the ballot, but said he preferred that it should 
be given those who were 'Very intelligent" and those 
''who had fought gallantly in our ranks." 

The Louisiana Plan. How Received by Louisiana? 
By Congress? 

In December, 1863, Lincoln issued a proclamation 
setting forth his plan for the reconstruction of the 
Southern States. His idea was to create a loyal class 
in each State and support it by military power until it 
had organized and put into operation an anti-slavery 

ernment. 

The first part of the proclamation prescribed an 
oath which promised loyalty to the government of the 



124 SEVENTH MONTH. 

United States, and support of all the proclamations of 
the President and all acts of Congress with reference to 
slavery. 

The second part provided that whenever in any of 
the States of Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Mississippi, 
Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, 
and North Carolina, a number of persons not less than 
one-tenth in number of the votes cast in that State in 
the presidential election of 1860, each having taken the 
prescribed oath, and having been a voter in the State be- 
fore secession, should re-establish a State government, 
republican in form, and abolishing slavery, he would 
recognize as the true government of the State. 

In December, 1862, the military governor of Louisi- 
ana had, with permission of the President, ordered an 
election for members of Congress in the districts under 
his jurisdiction, and two old citizens of the State were 
chosen and admitted to the House of Representatives 
in 1863. 

Nothing more was done until January, 1864, when 
soon after Lincoln's proclamation, Louisiana held a 
convention at New Orleans to continue the work of re- 
construction. In February an election of officers was 
held, the next month they were installed, and Hohn was 
recognized as Governor of Louisiana by the President. 
The new governor then ordered an election of dele- 
gates to a convention to amend and revise the Consti- 
tution. The convention prepared an anti-slavery con- 
stitution for the State, which was immediately adopted 
by the voters. There were 8100 votes cast, sixteen per 
cent of the votes of 1860, five-sixths of which were in 
favor of adoption. This brought the number of voters 
well within the president's ten per cent rule. 

Congress, however, was beginning to feel that re- 
construction did not come within the sphere of the 
executive, but was a problem that should be solved by 
legislative acts and constitutional amendments — in other 
words, by Congress. It refused to recognize the govern- 
ment of Louisiana and would not receive her electoral 



SEVENTH MONTH. 12& 

vote in the election of 1864, although the preceding- 
Congress had received her Representative. Both Houses 
passed the Wade-Dan's Bill which prescribed the con- 
ditions under which the seceded States might be read- 
mitted to the Union, and made their recognition by Con- 
gress necessary. 

Extent of Reconstruction at End of War. 

By the close of Lincoln's administration loyal gov- 
ernments had been formed in Arkansas, Tennessee, and 
Louisiana in accordance with the plan he had prescribed. 
The Alexandria government of Virginia had called a con- 
vention and adopted a constitution in accordance with 
Lincoln's proclamation. Though the President had recog- 
nized these governments as legal, the House refused to 
receive the electoral votes of Louisiana and Tennessee. 

Reconstruction Under Johnson. His Amnesty 
Proclamation. 

Reconstruction was begun by President Lincoln 
late in 1863, and was continued by President Johnson. 
This means restoring the seceded States to their former 
places in the Union. The great problem before the gov- 
ernment just at that time, was how to reconstruct the 
State governments of the seceded States, also how to 
re-admit them to their share in the nation's government. 

The President issued a proclamation of pardon 
May 29, 1865, to the greater part of the people of the 
seceded States on condition that they would swear to 
"faithfully support, protect and defend the Constitution 
and the Union." A majority of the inhabitants of those 
States took the oath. They furthermore bound them- 
selves to accept the Thirteenth Amendment to the Con- 
stitution, which prohibited slavery, and they agreed never 
to demand pavment of any part of the Southern war- 
debt. 

Now came the question whether these States should 
be at once permitted to send Representatives to Congress. 
The President said, Yes; but a majority in Congress said 
No. The reason for this denial was that the greater 



126 SEVENTH MONTH. 

part of Congress believed that it would not be safe to 
restore the Southern States to their full political rights 
until more was done to protect the negroes or "freed- 
men," as they were now^ called, in the enjoyment of their 
new liberty. 

From this time forward the President and Congress 
were engaged in a bitter strife with each other. Con- 
gress refused to re-admit the Southern States, and passed 
a number of bills in favor of the "freedmen," one of 
which made them citizens, ano'her gave them militarv 
protection, while a third granted them powder to vote in 
the. District of Columbia. The President believed that 
the South would deal fairly by the "freedmen," and 
therefore vetoed these bills ; Congress then passed them 
over the veto. — Montgomery's Leading Facts of American 
History. Ginn and Company, Publishers. • P. jj<^. 

2-2-1. 

The President may require the opinion, in writing, of 
the principal officer in each of the executive departments, 
upon any subject relating to the duties of their respective 
offices, and he shall have power to grant reprieves and 
pardons for offenses against the United States, except 
in cases of impeachment. 

The New State Constitutions Adopted During 1865. 

As Congress did not meet during the first eight 
months of Johnson's administration, he went ahead with 
the reconstruction of the seceded States, following Lin- 
coln's plan. By mid-summer of 1865 he had appointed 
provisional governors in North and South Carolina, 
Florida, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Texas, and 
the governors of all but Texas ordered elections for 
choosing delegates to constitutional conventions. These 
conventions amended the constitution, repealed the 
ordinance of secession, voted amendments abolishing slav- 
ery. All but Carolina and Mississippi repudiated the State 
debts incurred during the war, and all but Mississippi 
had adopted the Thirteenth Amendment by the end of 
the war. Johnson also recognized the governments of 



SEVENTH MONTH. 127 

Louisiana, Arkansas, and Tennessee, which had been re- 
constructed under Lincohi. When Congress met in De- 
cember. 1865, Senators and Representatives from all the 
States excepting Texas and Florida were ready for ad- 
mission to Congress. The former government was not 
organized until the next year, and the legislature of 
Florida had not met to elect Senators. 

Schurz Report Writ to Congress. 

While the Southern States had amended their Con- 
stitutions so as to abolish slavery and adopted. the Thir- 
teenth Amendment, they felt that the presence among 
them of 4,000,000 negroes, who were poor, homeless idle,, 
and unused to liberty would be a menace to their safety. 
Consequently they passed very rigid laws applying to 
negroes, which seemed to Congress to have the purpose 
of keeping them "involuntary servitude," or practically 
in a state of slavery. For instance, all negroes who 
would not work at the usual wage were to be consid- 
ered vagrants and subjected to severe penalties. Small 
offenses were punishable, if the negro could not pay it, 
as Avas usually the case, he was bound out by the court 
to labor for the one who would pay his fine. 

Refusal to Seat Southern Congressmen. 

Johnson made his own plans of reconstruction while 
Congress was not in session in the summer and fall of 
1865. But when Congress met in December, 1865, it re- 
fused to recognize Johnson's plans. When the Southern 
States sent their members of Congress they were refused 
their seats ; this greatly angered Johnson, for he de- 
clared he had the power to decide when the State should 
be fully reconstructed. 

Johnson's Attitude Toward the South. As Seen in His 
First Speeches. 

Johnson was elected to the Senate in 1857. When 
the Southern States seceded, he, of all the Southern 
Senators, did not go with his State, but remained loyal 
to the Union. From the time that the talk of seces- 
sion began, he became very popular at the North because 



128 SEVENTH MONTH. 

of his bold, vigorous speeches in favor of the Union, 
but was detested at the South, m one of these speeches 
he said that if he w^ere President he would have the 
Southern leaders arrested and tried for treason, and if 
convicted, hanged. He declared repeatedly that the 
"traitors" should be ''impoverished," by which he meant 
their estates should be confiscated. 

We have already seen how after the death of Lincoln, 
Johnson had so much to say both in public and private 
utterances about "traitors" and inflicting the death pen- 
alt}^ that even the most radical of radical Republicans 
feared that he would be entirely too severe in his treat- 
ment of the South. His utterances had so inflamed the 
North as to make such a magnanimous policy as Lin- 
coln's very difficult. 

Johnson after Influenced by Seward. 

Johnson retained Lincoln's cabinet, among whom 
was Seward, Secretary of State. Seward had been heart- 
ily in sympathy with Lincoln's policy of leniency toward 
the South, and in the first three months of Johnson's 
presidency, succeeded in winning him over to a most 
liberal plan of reconstruction — one essentially the same 
as Lincoln's. 

Upon Their New Constitution. 

Thus we find that when Johnson actually got to the 
work of reconstruction, he tried to make it as easy as 
possible for the seceded States to reorganize and re- 
sume constitutional relations with the Union. His am- 
nesty proclamation was so liberal that all the seceded 
States were glad to avail themselves of its provisions, 
and reorganized themselves in accordance with his ideas, 
and he recognized their new governments immediately. 

Growing Opposition Between Johnson and Congress. 

Over Freedmen Bureau Bill. Over Civil 

Right's Bill. 

President Johnson and Congress were in continual 
conflict. Congress would not admit the Southern mem- 



SEVENTH MONTH. 129 

bers to Congress ; this gave the Republicans a two-thirds 
majority in both Houses and they were able to pass any 
bill over the President's veto. 

In March, 1865, .Congress established a Freednien's 
Bureau which was intended to provide for the needs of the 
blacks. It took care that the negro should receive just 
compensation for his labor, and ordered the government 
to sell land to the negroes on cheap terms so that they 
could get a start in the world. When the bill establish- 
ing the Freedmen's Bureau went to President Johnson he 
vetoed it, but it was passed over his veto just before Con- 
gress adjourned. 

In March, 1866, a "Civil Rights" Bill was passed over 
the President's veto. This ''Civil Rights" Bill gave the 
negro all the rights of citizenship, with privilege to sue in 
the national courts for any of these rights if they were 
denied to him. 

Growing Opposition Between Johnson and Congress 
Over Fourteenth Amendment. Provisions; 
Action of States. 
In June, 1866, Congress passed the Fourteenth Amend- 
ment to the Constitution. A law passed by one Congress 
can be repealed by another and for fear a succeeding Con- 
gress might take away the rights granted to the negroes 
under the ''Civil Rights" Bill, Congress was anxious for 
the Fourteenth Amendment. 

This amendment guaranteed equal civil rights to all 
regardless of race or color. It based representation on the 
number of voters; if a State refused to allow its negroes 
to vote, its representation would be lessened. 

The President disapproved these measures, but the 
amendment was sent to the States for ratification and it 
was not until 1868 that a sufficient number ratified it, and 
it became a part of the Constitution and a law that Con- 
gress could not repeal. 

No Southern State ratified this amendment except 
Tennessee. 



130 SEVENTH MONTH. 

Tenure of Office Act. 

There were two principal causes for the Tenure of 
Office Act. One cause was the conflict between Johnson 
and Congress over the method of reconstruction. The 
other cause was Johnson removing from office any officer 
who did not favor his plans. To prevent Johnson from 
removing these civil officers, Congress passed the Tenure 
of Office Bill. This bill stated that the President could 
not remove them until the Senate had given permission. It 
wasn't long until President Johnson denied this power of 
Congress, and removed Edwin Stanton, Secretary of War. 
Stanton had been appointed by President Lincoln. The 
Tenure of Office Act was repealed in 1887. 

The Impeachment of the President. 1-2-5 and 1-3-6, 7. 

The House of Representatives shall have the sole 
power of impeachment. 

The Senate shall have the sole power to try all im- 
peachments. When sitting for that purpose, they shall be 
on oath or affirmation. When the President of the United 
States is tried, the chief justice shall preside; and no per- 
son shall be convicted without the concurrence of two-thirds 
of the members present. 

Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not extend 
further than to removal from office, and disqualification to 
hold and enjoy any office of trust, honor, or profit under 
the United States; but the party convicted shall neverthe- 
less be liable and subject to indictment, trial, judgment, 
and punishment according to law. 

Articles of Impeachment. Trial and Outcome. 

The President had refused to obey the Tenure of Office 
Act, and was ordered to trial. The House of Represent-, 
atives had made the charge against him, and the Senators, 
with the Chief Justice presiding, were to try the case. If 
two-thirds of them would vote ''guilty," he would be re- 
m,oved from the presidency. When the votes were count- 
ed he lacked one vote necessary for conviction ; he was 
therefore acquitted. 



SEVENTH MONTH. 131 

Reconstruction Under Congress. The Military 

Reconstruction Bill. 
In the spring of 1867, Congress passed another bill over 
the President's veto. This new law divided the South into 
districts, each of which was to be governed by a military 
governor. The ''freedmen" were given the right to vote, 
but that right was denied to all those white inhabitants 
who had taken a prominent part in the war against the 
Union. Each State was to continue under this form of 
government until the people of the States — black as well as 
white — should form a government accepting the Fourteenth 
Amendment to the Constitution. — From Montgomery's 
Leading Facts of American History. Ginn and Company, 
Publishers. P. ??p. 

Ku Klux Klan. 

The Ku Klux Klan was a secret organization, which 
arose in Tennessee and spread over the South, to prevent 
the negroes from voting. The members of the Ku Klux 
Klan would mask themselves and dress like ghosts, ride 
through the night, knock at the doors of the blacks, and 
threaten to whip them if they did not give up voting. The 
whites organized this society to protect themselves against 
the rule of the negroes who were sitting in the legislature 
chairs making the laws when they couldn't read or write. 

The proceedings of the Ku Klux Klan went on until 
President Grant introduced the Force Bill which was 
promptly passed. It provided for the punishment by fine 
or imprisonment, of any one who would attempt to inter- 
fere with any citizen to vote. 

"Carpet Baggers," Negro Rule. 

In some of the restored States, especially in South 
Carolina, there were more negroes than white men. The 
negroes now got control of these States. They had been 
slaves all their lives, and were so ignorant that they did 
not know the letters of the alphabet. Yet they now sat 
in the State legislatures, and made the laws. After the 
war manv industrious Northern men settled in the South. 



132 SEVENTH MONTH. 

but besides these, certain greedy adventurers went there 
eager to get pohtical office and political spoils. These 
"Carpet-Baggers" as they were called, used the ignorant 
*'freedmen" as tools to carry out their own selfish pur- 
poses. The result was that the negro legislators, under 
the direction of the "Carpet-Baggers," plundered and, 
for the time, well nigh ruined the States, that had the 
misfortune to be subject to their rule. 

After a time the white population throughout the 
South resolved that they would no longer endure this 
state of 'things. Partly by peaceable and partly by 
violent means, they succeeded in getting the political 
power in their own hands, and the reign of the "Carpet- 
Bagger" and the negro came to an end. — From Montgom- 
ery's Leading Facts of American History. Ginii and Com- 
paiiy. Publishers. PP. jjp^ j^o. 

Fifteenth Amendment Provisions. Action of States. 

The Fifteenth Amendment was declared in force, in 
March, 1870. It gave the negroes the right to vote. 

The provisions of this amendment are : The rights 
of citizens of the United States to vote shall not be denied 
or abridged by the United States, or by any State, on 
account of race, color, or' previous condition of servitude. 
Congress shall have power to enforce this article by 
appropriate legislation. 

It was proposed by Congress in 1869, and was passed 
by Congress by a vote of thirty-nine to thirteen in the 
Senate and by one hundred and forty-four to forty in the 
House. It was ratified by twenty-nine of the thirty- 
seven States and was declared in force ]\Iarch 30, 1870. 
Reseating of Congressmen. 

When Congress had reconstructed the Southern 
States according to its own ideas it proceeded to pass the 
laws which it deemed necessary to admit them to repre- 
sentation in Congress. The first was in June, 1868, in 
reference to Arkansas, after she had ratified the Four- 
teenth Amendment. The act provided that the State of 
Arkansas was to be re-admitted to representation on con- 



SEVENTH MONTH. 133 

dition that her constitution should never be so amended 
or changed as to deprive any citizen or class of citizens 
who were entitled to vote under the constitution she had 
just adopted, except as punishment for such crimes as 
were felonies under the law, whereof they had been duly 
convicted. 

A similar law was passed in regard to North and 
South Carolina, Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama, and 
Florida, making provision for their representation as 
soon as they had ratified the Fourteenth Amendment. 
The President vetoed these bills because they attempted 
to control a matter that had always been considered to 
be the right of the State to prescribe the qualifications of 
its voters. 

By the end of July the work of reconstruction was 
completed in all of these States but Georgia. Georgia 
ratified the Fourteenth Amendment in 1868, but was not 
fully admitted until 1870. Mississippi, Texas, and Vir- 
ginia would not accede to the condition of Congress until 
1870, when they were admitted. 

Withdrawal of Troops by Hayes. 

Soon after President Hayes took his seat as Presi- 
dent of the United States, he stated that he believed the 
time had come, when the people of the reconstructed 
States should manage their own affairs, and that the 
Federal troops which had sustained the Republican 
State government in South Carolina and Louisiana 
should be withdrawn. This was done and the Southern 
people were now free to establish local self-government 
and to work out their new life as best they could. 

Democratic officials soon took control of local af- 
fairs. 

Problems Following the Civil War. Increased Import- 
ance of Presidency. Dominance of National Senti- 
ment. Money in Politics. Increased Taxation 
Increases Opportunities for Wealth. 
Dominant Industrialism. 

During the war Lincoln had exercised greater power 
than any former president. As commander-in-chief of 



134 SEVENTH MONTH. 

the army he had directed campaigns and had under his 
control thousands of appointments. This very greatly 
increased his personal influence. He also exercised a 
much greater power of executive discretion than any 
former President. Under the war power of the Consti- 
tution he had personally suspended some of the most 
important safe-guards of personal liberty, depending up- 
on Congress to make his acts legal, which it did and 
authorized him to continue to exercise such arbitrary 
powers. 

At his direction, or of that of officers directly respon- 
sible to him, he had seized railroads and telegraph lines, 
suppressed newspapers, interfered in local governments, 
and arrested prominent citizens without warrant of law. 
He had also by his own act, declared all negroes free 
who were owned and held in certain rebellious districts. 
He also undertook to determine the conditions under 
which the seceded States might resume their place in the 
Union. 

His cabinet officers had borrowed large sums of 
money and made contracts involving the expenditure of 
millions of dollars, depending upon Congress to ratify 
their actions. In addition they supervised the raising 
of funds and troops for the war and had supervised the 
details of the vast expenditures required by the war. 
The mere details connected with the transportation, 
clothing, and food for a million soldiers brought intim- 
ately in contact with the chief business men and organ- 
izations of the country. 

For four years Congress had looked to the executive 
branch of the government to suggest legislation and lo 
go ahead with necessary measures required by the war 
when Congress was not in session. Constitutional limit- 
ations were largely forgotten, and the executive was left 
free to exercise practically royal powers over a very 
large part of the nation. 

The war was a war to save the Union, consequently 
the interests of the national government were of the first 



SEVENTH MONTH. 135 

importance. All able bodied citizens were called upon 
to serve that .Q:overnment. The army was a federal 
army. The soldiers were sworn to support the federal 
constitution, they fought for the national government, 
they were paid, clothed, and fed by that government. 
They obeyed the orders of that government alone. They 
were fighting against an extreme exercise of sovereign 
state rights. And above all the nation received such an 
object lesson as to the power of the national govern- 
ment that it could never be forgotten. Especially did 
this impress itself upon the minds of the youth of the 
period, so that the generation after the war was almost 
extravagant]}^ national in its point of view. 

The war itself had tended to lower moral standards 
in politics. War supplies of all kinds had involved con- 
tracts upon which great profits were made. That led 
to collusion between the officers who made the contracts 
and the parties with whom they were made. The recon- 
struction and "carpet-bag" period in the South had given 
the unscrupulous element in politics an opportunity to 
run riot for a time. As the expenditures for the war 
decreased there was a strong tendency to find new fields 
for expenditures as to keep up appropriations. 

These new fields of activity opened fresh opportu- 
nities for fat contracts. Even Congressman and cabinet 
officers became involved. Railroads had important fav- 
ors to ask in the shape of land grants, and became a 
corrupting influence. The condition reached its worst in 
Grant's adminstration when numerous frauds were ex- 
posed. 

As it was financially worth while to central govern- 
ments, because of what governments could do, men were 
ready to go to any length to carry elections. Money was 
used more and more freely. Those who hoped to profit 
from the action of the government were induced to ad- 
vance money to carry the elections. The very growth 
of national feeling had withdrawn attention from local 
government and soon all varieties of political gangs were 
getting control of cities for the purpose of profiting from 



136 SEVENTH MONTH. 

the large amount of public funds being raised by tax- 
ation. 

The increased taxes made necessary by the war had 
opened great possibilities for wealth. Millions were 
made out of the loans the government had to place. 
Other millions were made out of the things purchased 
with the borrowed money and that raised by taxation. 
As soon as the war was over, the internal taxes were 
slowly withdrawn, but the tariff duties remained about 
where they had been. This made the tariff much more 
protective than it had been. The high tax on foreign 
goods made it highly profitable to produce goods in this 
country to supply the home markets. The nation had 
to continue to levy high taxes for man}^ years to pay 
interest and principal on the war debt and the pensions 
to the soldiers. Taxation must go on, and as it fell very ' 
largely on imports, it furnished an unusual opportunity 
for American manufacturers to make high profits for a 
long term of years. 

The development of railroads, the opening and settl- 
ing of the West, and the rapid multiplication of com- 
merical enterprises of one kind and another soon gave 
the decades following the war a dominant tone of in- 
dustrialism. Business offered attractive careers and pos- 
sibilities of profit almost unknown before. This indus- 
trialism was of the manufacturing rather than of the 
agricultural character. Consequently it was a period of 
city building, and led to fundamental charges in the char- 
acter of our population and the conditions under which 
people lived. 

Republican Control. 

For twenty 3'ears after the close of the Civil War 
the Republican party managed to elect its candidate for 
the presidency. With the exception of two years (1879- 
1881) it had a majority in the Senate, and during the first 
decade and two years of the second decade a majority in 
the House. 



SEVENTH MONTH. 137 

Radicalism, 1865-1876. 

The grand old party of Lincoln, which had been 
formed of the progressive leaders of all the older parties 
in opposition to the extension of slavery and had fought 
nobly for the preservation of the Union ; soon began to 
undergo a great change. This was first seen in the op- 
position of the Radical Republicans to the lenient policy 
of Lincoln in the reconstruction of the Southern States. 

This element dominated Congress during Johnson's 
administration and opposed his liberal plan of recon- 
struction and favored harsh measures in treating with 
the fallen foe. The Radicals developed such power that 
thev passed all their extreme measures over the Presi- 
dent's veto, and lacked but one vote of impeaching him. 
It was through them the negro at the South was given 
the ballot, prominent Southern men disqualified for office. 
and the carpet-bag governments maintained. They held 
that the worst Republican was better than the best Demo- 
crat. It was their policy to continue military rule at the 
South — and all this in order to preserve a Republican ma- 
jority in Congress. This continuation in power led to 
great corruption in the party. 

Land Grants to Railroads. 

Cai caress was anxious to build up the country and in 
1862 charters were granted to several companies to build 
railroads and immense tracts of land lying along the 
railroads were given to these companies. Fifty millions 
of dollars was granted by Congress to the Union Pacific 
Railway Company who were to build west from Omaha, 
and to the Central Pacific who were to build east from 
Sacramento. At last in 1869 the two lines came together 
at r)orden, Utah. The entire distance from the East to 
the West was over three thousand miles. A traveller can 
leave the Atlantic coast and reach the Pacific in about 
six days. Before the railroad was completed teas, spices, 
and silks from Asia had to reach us by sailing around 



138 SEVENTH MONTH. 

Cape Horn, and would be received by us almost six 
months after they had been loaded, but now they can 
leave China, be landed in San Francisco, sent over the 
railroad to New York, all in about a month's time. The 
Pacific Railroad led to the settlement of the country 
west of the Mississippi ; it also developed fresh sources 
of industry. 

Money Question. Greenbackism. 

Congress passed a bill early in 1862, authorizing the 
issue of bills and because they had green tinted backs 
they were called ''green backs." To make them a success 
they were made a legal tender for all debts except duties 
on imports, and interest on the public debt. Whenever 
the Union army was successful these greenbacks rose in 
value; when the Union army met defeats they depreci- 
ated in value. This was because the people had more 
faith in the government at certain times than others. 
At one time in 1864, it took almost three dollars in green 
backs to purchase what one dollar in gold would buy. 
But after the war in 1879 the government resumed specie 
payment, and offered to give gold to any one in exchange 
for "greenbacks." 

Bland-Allison Act. 

Congress in 1873, had dropped the silver dollar from 
the list of coins to be made at the mint. Soon afterward 
the silver mines of Nevada began to yield astonishingly, 
and the price of silver fell. This led to a demand (by 
inflationists and silver producers) that the silver dollar 
should again be coined, and in 1878, Congress passed 
(over Hayes' veto) the Bland-Allison Act, which re- 
quired the Secretary of the Treasury to buy not less than 
$2,000,000 nor more than $4,000,000 worth of silver. 
Brief His'tory, pp. 408, 40Q. 

Resumption of Specie Payments. 

After the Civil War was over the government began 
to pay of¥ its debt, and the people began to have more 
confidence in the power of the government to do as it 



SEVENTH MONTH. 139 

agreed. In 1864, gold was worth three times as much 
as silver, but in 18T9, wdien the financial condition of the 
government improved, gold reached par, and specie pay- 
ments were resumed, and it has been the policy of our 
government to continue the same ever since, so that the 
gold, silver, and paper money are "on a parity." 

Hayes' Administration. 

The Democrats nominated Samuel J, Tilden of New 
York, for President. The Republicans nominated Ruther- 
ford B. Hayes of Ohio, for President. This was a disputed 
election; both the Democrats and Repu1:)licans claimed to 
have elected their candidates and each party charged the 
other wnth fraud. The dispute grew so hot that it was 
left for Congress to settle. Congress, therefore, appointed 
an Electoral Commission which was composed of five Unit- 
ed States Senators, five Representatives, and five were 
Judges of the Supreme Court. They decided Hayes re- 
ceived one hundred eighty-five electoral votes, and Tilden 
received one hundred eighty-four. Hayes was declared 
elected, and served from 1877-1881. 

Spoils System. 

From the time that Jackson had been President it had 
been the custom of the Presidents to put men into office 
who were of the same political party as the Presidents 
were, or simply as a reward to them for working for them 
or spending money to get them elected. 

Later the Presidents were tormented with ofiice- 
seekers, and sometimes more demanded offices than there 
were places to be filled. This was indeed a great burden 
to the Presidents. 

Grant, knowing how Lincoln was besieged with office 
seekers, made an unsuccessful effort to break up this 
"spoils system." President Hayes also tried it but nothing 
practical was done, for many men in and out of Congress 
naturally fought against it with all their might. 



140 SEVENTH MONTH. 



Death of Garfield. 



The Democrats nominated General Winfield Hancock 
of Pennsylvania, for President, and William English of 
Indiana, for Vice President. The Republicans nominated 
James A. Garfield of Ohio, for President, and Chester A. 
Arthur of New York, for Vice President. The Republicans 
won at the election, and Garfield and Arthur were in- 
augurated March 4, 1881. Garfield had been President but 
four months when he was shot in a railroad depot in 
Washington, D. C., by a disappointed office seeker, named 
(iuiteau ( Ge toe'). After suffering eighty days from the 
wound, he died September 19, 1881. He is buried in 
Cleveland, Ohio. Chester A. Arthur, the Vice President, 
became President and served the remainder of the term. 

Guiteau was convicted of the murder and hanged. 

Civil Service Reform. 

The Civil Service Law was passed in 1883. It will be 
remembered that Garfield was shot by a disappointed office- 
seeker, and for many years before Garfield had been shot, 
the Presidents had always appointed men to minor offices. 
Thousands of these applicants would have to be refused 
by every President, this of course would leave the office- 
seeker with an ill-feeling toward the President, therefore, 
Congress passed the Civil Service Bill, which regulated the 
appointment of most of the government officers by means of 
competitive examinations. The workings of this act have 
proved successful. 

Election of Cleveland. 

Grover Cleveland was the first President to be elected 
by the Democrats since the beginning of the Civil War. 
The Vice President was Thomas Hendricks of Indiana. 
They were elected in the fall of 1884. The Republicans 
had nominated James G. Blaine of Maine, and John A. 
Logan of Illinois, for President and Vice President, but 
in the election they were defeated. 

Cleveland and Hendricks served from 1885-188^^. 



Eighth Month. 



Grant as President. Low State of Political Morality of 

the Time. 

In the presidential campaign of 1868, General Grant 
was nominated President by the Republicans over Horatio 
Seymour of New York, the Democratic nominee. Grant 
was elected and served from 1869-1877. 

1. A ''ring" of politicians, under the leadership of "Boss 
Tweed," managed to get po'ssession of the government of 
New York City and, 1865-1871 robbed the tax-payers of 
many millions. Tweed and his gang were finally over- 
thrown in 1871, through the efforts of Samuel J. Tilden 
and other prominent citizens. 

2. The Erie Ring got possession of the Erie Railroad, 
and the Whisky Ring defrauded the government of an 
immense amo'unt of revenue. Many government officials 
were indicted in 1875, for their connection with this gigantic 
liquor swindle. 

3. Serious frauds were unearthed in the Custom House 
departments and in the Indian Bureau. The Secretary of 
War was charged in 1876, with selling sutterships in the 
army; he escaped impeachment by resigning his office. — 
From Montgomery's Students' American History. Giiin 
and Company, Publishers. P. 50. 

Liberal Reform Movement. 

On account of this political corruption there was much 
opposition to Grant's administration toward the close of 
his first term. Many of the more liberal Republicans were 
disgusted with his treatment of the Sonth, and regarded 
the carpet-bag governments with their shameless misrule 
and plunder of the Southern States a national disgrace. 
Many of the more progressive Republican leaders, such as, 
Charles Sumner, .Horace Greeley, Charles Francis Adams, 



142 EIGHTH MONTH 

William Lloyd Garrison, and John G. Whittier supported 
by the ablest newspapers, broke away from their party. 

The movement had its beginning in Missouri, where 
Carl Schurz and the Liberal Republicans joined with the 
Democrats and carried the State on a platform favoring the 
removal of the disabilities of the ex-Confederates. 

A national convention of Liberal Republicans was called 
in Cincinnati in May. The new party was composed of 
men of widely differing principles, but all united in their 
opposition to "Grantism." The platform which was adopt- 
ed declared that the President had disregarded the laws, 
had kept "notoriously corrupt and unworthy" men in of- 
fice, and was careless of the welfare of the nation and * 
utterly unequal to the task imposed upon him by the neces- 
sities of the country. It demanded reform of the civil 
service, tariff" reform, the immediate removal of the poli- 
tical disabilities of the ex-Confederates, and the withdrawal 
of military rule from the South. Horace Greely was 
nominated for the presidency. 

Hayes' Disputed Election of 1876. 

(This topic has been given on p. 139). 
Foreign Affairs. 

In. 1882, a law was passed which forbade Chinese 
immigration for ten years. The Chinese had been com- 
ing to America for many years, and would work for 
much less pay than the American laborers, and could live 
so much cheaper, that they put a great many number of 
Americans out of employment. Congress, in order to 
remedy this, passed the Chinese Exclusion Law. Simi- 
lar acts have been passed from time to time since then. 
Chinese officers, on diplomatic business are excepted 
from the provisions of this law, as are Chinese teachers, 
students, travellers, merchants, etc. 

Maximilian in Mexico. 

Napoleon III of France, and the Emperor of Austria 
took advantage of our Civil War, and tried to establish 
an empire in Mexico, in place of the republic. Maxi- 



EIGHTH MONTH. 143 

milian, a brother of the ruler of Austria, was made em- 
peror. This was in violation of the Monroe Doctrine. 
The President sent troops to the Rio Grande, and ordered 
France to take her troops from Mexico. France obeyed, 
and the Mexicans captured Maximilian, shot him, and 
restored the Mexican republic. 

Alabama Claims. 

It will be remembered that England built several 
ships for the Confederates. The "Alabama" was among 
the number built. These ships would prey upon the 
xA.merican commerce. The United States demanded that 
England should pay for the damage done by these ships 
during the Civil War. The dispute was referred to a 
Board of Arbitration, composed of five members appoint- 
ed one each by the United States, Great Britain, Italy, 
and Switzerland, and in 1872 awarded the United States 
$15,000,000 in gold for damages done by ships, which 
were built in England for the Confederates. Great Brit- 
ain paid the reward within a year, and the money was 
given to the ship owners who had had loss. 

Purchase of Alaska. 

In 1867, the United States purchased Alaska from 
Russia for $7,200, OOU in gold. It is valued for its seals, 
fish, forests, and gold which was discovered there in 1897. 

Cleveland Epoch. Clashes with Congress. 

President Cleveland had many clashes with Con- 
gress, and it is said during his first term, he vetoed more 
than double the number of bills that had been vetoed by 
all preceding presidents. ^ He vetoed the Dependent Pen- 
sion Bill and several hundred private pension bills. The 
Dependent Pension Bill was a bill granting a pension to 
all soldiers who had served ninety days in the Civil 
War, and were unable to do manual labor. It also 
granted a pension to the widows and children of such 
dependent persons. 

Cleveland's idea was that the soldiers who served in 
the Ci\"il War were already better provided for by pay 



144 EIGHTH MONTH. 

and bounties than any other soldiers had ever beeti. He 
opposed these pension bills for he thought it would add 
an additional expense to the tax payers. When these 
bills were vetoed Congress did not pass them over his 
veto, but they were passed under the next administration 
in 1890. 

Presidential Succession Act. 

From 1792, until 1886, a Presidential Succession 
Law had been in force, which provided that in case the 
President and Vice President should die or be removed, 
the succcession should devolve on the President pro 
tempore of the Senate, then on the Speaker of the House. 
It might happen that the President pro tempore, and 
the Speaker of the House might not be of the same po- 
litical party as the President and Vice President who had 
preceded them. A new Succession Law was passed in 
1886. It provides for succession as follows : Secretar- 
ies of State, Treasury, and War, the Attorney General, 
Post Master General, the Secretary of the Navy, and the 
Secretary of the Interior. These are all members of the 
President's cabinet, and the cabinet members are ap- 
pointed by the President, who would be likely to choose 
men of his own political party. 

The Presidential Succession Law of 1886, puts more 
lives between the executive office and anarchy. It forms 
new safe guards around the President's life. 

The Surplus and Its Problems. 

Although the tariff had been lowered in 1883, yet, 
more money was coming to the Treasury than was paid 
out, and a large surplus was on hands. President Cleve- 
land recommended the adoption of a tariff, which should 
be lower than that of 1883. The House of Representa- 
tives passed such a bill in 1888, but the Senate rejected it. 
The Democrats favored a low tariff, and the Republi- 
cans favored a high tariff. 

Labor Troubles. 

A great number of labor troubles took place during 
Cleveland's administration. These troubles greatly in- 



EIGHTH MONTH. 145 

jured business prosperity. In Chicago, while the police 
were dispersing a crowd of anarchists, one of them threw 
a dynamite bomb, w^iich exploded and killed several 
officers and wounded several people. The most guilty 
of the anarchists were tried and hanged. The main cause 
of the labor troubles was that the laboring men thought 
that they should receive more pay, and when the mine 
owners, factory owners, etc., refused to grant it, they 
quit work. Some of the leaders of the strikers were not 
good American citizens, but proved to be anarchists. 
In the fall of 1885, some of- the white laborers at- 
tacked some 5f the Chinese laborers in Wyoming, Wash- 
ington, and Oregon, and killed several before the troops 
w^ere able to put down the trouble. 

Interstate Commerce Act. 

The Interstate Commerce Act is a law and was 
passed by Congress in 1887. The objects of this act are 
to make all charges on all railroads and steamship lines 
passing from one State to another just and equal; and to 
give no special rates, or rebates to any shipper over 
another ; also charges for a shorter distance shall not ex- 
ceed those for a longer distance on the same line in the 
same direction, when the circumstances and conditions 
are similar. Of course there are some exceptions to some 
provisions of this act. Reduced rates are given to min- 
isters of religion (except where the two-cent rate is 
used), and free transportation is allowed to the officers 
and employees of the railroad or steamship which they 
own, or are hired to work upon, and a great many times 
to the officers and employees of other railroads and 
steamships. 

An Interstate Commerce Commission consisting of 
five persons is appointed by the President to see that 
this law is carried out. The members of this commis- 
sion receive $7,500 each. 

The Harrison Interregnum. 

The Republicans nominated Benjamin Harrison for 
President, and Levi INIorton for A^ice President. 



146 • EIGHTH MONTH. 

The Democrats nominated Grover Cleveland for 
President and Allen Thurman for Vice President. 

The Republican candidates were elected and served 
from 18S9-1893. 

Excessive Appropriations. 

The appropriations of the first Congress of the Har- 
rison administration totaled over $900,000,000, and were 
far in excess of those of any preceding- Congress. A 
large part of the surplus that had been accumulating in 
the treasury was used up. Part of it went to raise the 
number of steel vessels in the navy, from three in 1889 
to twenty-two in 1893, placing us among the six great- 
est naval powers of the world. Some went for the im- 
provement of coast defenses and harbors. About 
$15,000,000 went to reimburse the States for direct taxes 
that had been levied at the beginning of the war. But 
the largest item was the increase in the pension appro- 
priation, which was from $88,000,000 to $159,000,000 an- 
nually. 

This extravagance caused the Fifty-first Congress to 
be known as the ^'billion dollar" Congress, and the Demo- 
cratic landslide in the elections of 1890 was a protest 
against this reckless expenditure. 

Oklahoma and New Northwestern States. 

At noon on the 22d of April, 1889, Presicknit Harrison 
opened Oklahoma to settlement. The land had been bought 
of the Indians of Indian Territory. As soon as Harrison 
opened this strip of about 40,000 square miles of land to 
settlement, any person could choose one hundred and sixty 
acres free of charge. It was only a few months until 
several towns had sprung up. Oklahoma ever since has 
had a very rapid growth. 

North Dakota. South Dakota, Montana, and Washing- 
ton were admitted in 1889. Idaho and Wyoming were 
admitted in 1890. 

McKinley Bill. 

The McKinley Tariff Bill was passed in 1890. This 
law raised the protective duties. Its object was to protect 



EIGHTH MONTH. 147 

American products and American manufactures against 
competition. It allowed the President to establish with 
other nations "reciprocity agreements," i. e. articles to be 
admitted free from countries admitting United States goods 
free, and if other countries put duties on our products we 
were tc* charge duties on their products. The McKinley 
Tariff was repealed in 1894, but later the "reciprocity 
agreements" were re-enacted. 

Sherman Silver Act. 

Uur silver mines were producing so much silver that 
the price was growing lower and lower, until at last the 
silver dollar was worth about fifty cents. Many persons 
thought if the government would coin more of it into 
money the price would raise. Senator John Sherman of- 
fered a bill in Congress, directing the Secretary of the 
Treasury to buy 4,500,000 ounces. of silver each month at 
full value, if that amount were offered for sale. The bill 
became a law in 1890. After the people had tried this 
''Silver Purchase" they came to the conclusion that it was 
doing harm to the country and in 1893, it was repealed. 
Senator Sherman himself wanted the law repealed. 
Gold Famine and Repeal of Sherman Act. 

During the year 1893 the country was in the midst 
of a great panic. Banks failed, factories were closed, a 
great many people were thrown out of work, and prices 
of all products were very low. Many people blamed the 
o-overnment and severely criticised Cleveland's adminis- 
tration. 

The causes of the panic were poor crops, tOQ much 
speculation, and extravagance. It will be remembered 
that the Sherman Silver Purchase Act compelled the gov- 
ernment to buy 4,50'),O()0 ounces of silver each month: 
this was to be paid for in treasury notes, and these treas- 
ury notes were to be redeemed in gold and silver. The 
metal in the silver dollar was worth only about sixty- 
seven cents. Foreign nations wdio held these treasury 
notes, thought our government meant to pay them with 
these "sixty-seven cent" dollars. They became so 



148 EIGHTH MONTH. 

alarmed that they were ready to sell their holdings for 
whatever they could get for them. Many of our citizens 
purchased, and began to call upon the treasury for gold. 
So much of it went out of the treasury that only 
$97,000,000 were left, and it had been agreed that 
$100,000,000 should always be. kept on hand, in order to 
redeem all treasury notes whenever they would be pre- 
sented. It was a period of ''tight money," and led to the 
repeal of the Sherman Silver Purchase Act in order to 
stop the drain on the gold supply. 

Wilson Tariff. 

The Democrats desired a lower rate of tariff than 
that of the McKinley Tariff. Senator Wilson introduced 
a bill in Congress which gradually reduced the tariff 
rates, and placed raw materials on the free list. When 
Wilson's bill went to the Senate, the Senators made 
about six hundred amendments to it. It was then sent 
to the President. He refused to sign it for he was 
greatly opposed to the amendments that had been made 
to it, but yet he thought it was better for the country 
than the McKinley Tariff. The bill, therefore, became a 
law in 1894. without his signature. 

Pullman Strike. 

The cause of this great strike was the reduction of 
wages by the Pullman Palace Car Company. The strike 
began at Pullman, Illinois, near Chicago, Illinois, in the 
car works and later spread to the railroad employees. 
These employees refused to move the trains that carried 
Pullman cars betwen Chicago, San Francisco and other 
points until their wages should be raised. The United 
States mail was stopped, and much railroad property 
was destroyed. It was not until President Cleveland sent 
troops to preserve order and protect the mail that the 
strike eiided. 

Hawaiian Revolution. 

Early in 1893 a revolution broke out in the Ha- 
waiian Islands. American sailors on the "Boston" ?ave 



EIGHTH MONTH. 141) 

the leaders of the revolt aid, and the native queen was 
deposed, the government was made a Republic, and an 
American was made President of the Islands. Hawaii 
was asked to be annexed to the United States, but Cleve- 
land declined, saying that the men from the "Boston" 
might have contributed to the success of the revolution, 
and if that was the case, the Americans had not acted 
with fairness, therefore he was not in favor of annexa- 
tion. 

Later, (1898) Hawaii was annexed by joint resolu- 
tion. These islands are valuable to the United States 
as a coaling station. They were organized as a territory, 
and sent their first delegate to Congress in 1900. 

Venezuelan Question. 

A long and bitter dispute had been going on between 
Great Britain and Venezuela, in regard to the boundary 
line between Venezuela and British Guiana. Great Brit- 
ain refused to submit the question to arbitration and 
was about to begin war with Venezuela, when the 
United States interfered by right of the Monroe Doc- 
trine and declared that Great Britain had no right to en- 
large her possessions by force. At last an agreement was 
made between Great Britain and Venezuela, in 1899, 
by which the trouble was peaceably settled, and Great 
Britain came into possession of most of the territory 
which she claimed belonged to her. 

Free Silver Campaign. 

The Treasury had ceased to buy silver and the de- 
mand for free coinage of silver was renewed. The Re- 
publicans, in their national platform in 1896, declared 
against it, whereupon thirty-four delegates from the sil- 
ver States (Idaho, Montana, South Dakota, Colorado, 
Utah, and Nevada) left the convention. The Demo- 
cratic party declared for free coinage,^' but many 
Democrats ("gold Democrats"), thereupon former a new 
party, called the National Democratic, and nominated 
candidates on a gold standard platform. Both the great 



J 50 EIGHTH MONTH. 

parties were thus split on the issue of free coinage of 
silver. 

*They demanded "the free and unlimited coinage of 
both silver and gold at the present legal ratio of 16 to 1", 
that is, that out of one pound of gold should be coined 
as many dollars as out of sixteen pounds of silver, — 
McMaster's Brief His^tory, p. 41 /. 

RECENT HISTORY. SPANISH-AMERICAN WAR. 
Conditions in Cuba. 

Spain governed Cuba very harshly, and for many 
years there had been repeated insurrections and wars in 
the island, one of which lasted ten years. These dis- 
turbances greatly injured the trade of the United States,, 
and the people of our country were much concerned over 
the oppression of an island which lay so near our coast. 
Our government frequently remonstrated with Spain, but 
to no effect. We several times tried to buy Cuba, but 
Spain would not sell. 

In 1895, another rebellion broke out on the islan.i 
and a native government was set up there. Between this 
native government and Spanish authoriteies there was 
constant war, resulting in much bloodshed, and the de- 
struction of much property. In order to crush this re- 
bellion the Spanish commander, General Weyler, com- 
pelled all the farmers to leave their homes and come 
with their families to live in the towns, where he pro- 
vided no food or clothing for them, and w^here they died 
by the thousands. Our government protested against this 
and Weyler was removed, but matters grew no better. — 
Eggleston, pp. ^86, 38 y. 

Complications With Spain. 

The United States demanded of Spain that her cruelty 
must stop; little attention was paid to it until President 
McKinley declared that Spain should do something to 
relieve the starving peasants. Spain removed General 
We}ler, who had been appointed Spanish commander, and 
sent out General Blanco. Blanco made a sfreat many "sfood 



EIGHTH MONTH. 151 

promises'' to the revolting Cubans, but they had been de- 
ceived so many times by Spanish promises, that they openly 
stated that nothing would satisfy them save absolute inde- 
pendence. Gomez was the leader of the revolting Cubans. 

The "Maine" Disaster. 

The "Maine" was a United States battleship, and was 
blown up at Havana, Cuba, February 15, 1898. The 
"Maine" had been sent to pay a friendly visit to Cuba. 
Two officers and two hundred sixty-fo'ur of her crew wer..t 
killed. An investigation as to the cause of the explosion 
was made, and the United vStates investigation commission 
reported that the "Maine" had been destroyed by a mine 
beneath the vessel. The Spanish people declared that they 
believed that the "Main" had been destroyed by an internal 
explosion. The people of the United States were greatly 
excited over the outrage, and on the nineteenth of April, 
a joint resolution compelled Spain to leave Cuba. Two 
days later Spain severed diplomatic relations with us. and 
war was soon begun. 

War with Spain. 

Two causes led to' the war with Spain : first. Spanish 
oppression in Cuba; second, the destruction of the "Maine." 

Battle of Manila, 1898. 

Spain owned the Philippines, of which Manila was 
the capital. The United States undertook to strike Spain 
two blows at once. While she was busy with her trouble 
in Cuba, Commander George Dewey, who was stationed 
at Hong Kong, China, started at once for Manila, where 
he intended to destroy the Spanish fleet which guarded 
that place. He reached Manila on Sunday morning, 
May 1, 1898, made an attack and after a fierce fight de- 
stroyed the Spanish fleet without losing a man or ship. 

Santiago and the Destruction of Cervera's Fleet. 

Meantime a second Spanish fleet under Cervera (thir 
va ra'), sailed from Cape Verde Islands. Acting Rear- 



152 EIGHTH MONTH. 

Admiral Sampson, with ships which had been blockading 
Havana, and Commodore Schley, with a "flying squadron," 
went in search of Cervera, who, after a long- hunt, was 
found in the harbor of Santiago, on the south coast of 
Cuba, and at once blockaded. As the fleet of Cervera 
could not be attacked by water, it was decided to capture 
Santiago, and so force him to run out. General Shaftei 
with an army was sent to Cuba, and landed a few miles 
from the city (June 22, 23), and at once pushed forward. 
On July 1, the Spanish positions on tw^o hills, El Caney (el 
ca na') and San Juan (sahn hoo ahn') were carried by 
storm. The capture of Santiago was now so certain that, 
on July 3, Cervera's fleet dashed from the harbor and at- 
tempted to break through the blockading fleet. A running 
sea fight followed, and in a few hours all six of the Span- 
ish vessels were shattered wrecks on the coast of Cuba. 
Not one of our ships was seriously damaged. Two weeks 
later General Toral (to rahl') surrendered the city of 
Santiago the eastern end of Cuba, and a large army. — • 
McMaster^s Brief History, pp. 422, 42^. 

Treaty of Peace. 

The treaty of peace was signed at Paris, December 10, 
1898. Spain gave up all claim to Cuba and ceded Porto 
Rico and Guam to the United States. The United States 
paid Spain $20,000,000, and she ceded the Philippines tc 
us. The $20,000,000 were for public improvements which 
Spain had erected on the islands. 

Cost of the War. 

Cost in money about $130,000,000. Cost in life about 
420, who were killed in battle, ^nd about 3,000 who died 
of disease. 

Philippine Affairs. 

Before the United States had come into possession of 
the Philippines, the natives had fought against the oppres- 
sion of Spain and established a republic Avith Aguinaldc 
as President. Although the war with Spain Avas over, 
they still wanted to be an independent nation, even though 



EIGHTH MONTH. 153 

they knew the United States had come into possession of 
the Philippines. The United States denied them the righl 
of seli-government on the ground that they were too 
ignorant, at this, the natives rose in revolt and made an 
attack on our troops at A'lanila. It was a long time until 
they were subdued, and thousands of lives were lost on 
both sides. By 1902, peace was established throughout 
the islands. 

Annexation of Hawaii. 

Hawaii was annexed by joint resolution July 7, 1898. 
These islands are valuable to the United States as a coal- 
ing station. It was organized as a Territory and sent its 
first delegate to Congress in 1900. 

United States in China (Boxer Rebellion). 

The Chinese had organized themselves into a secret 
society known as the "Boxers," this was partly a religious 
and partly t patriotic society. In 1900, these "Boxers" 
began to make war upon the Christian natives, mission- 
aries and other foreigners. The trouble grew to be so 
great, that at last, it became necessary for the United 
States, Japan and the European powers to send troops 
to China to protect their ambassadors and other for- 
eigners in Peking. 

Roosevelt Policies. 

Upon the death of President McKinley, September 
14, 1901, Vice President Roosevelt became President 
and served the remainder of the term. At the end of that 
time he was re-elected (1904) with Charles Fairbanks 
as Vice President. 

When President Roosevelt took the oath of office 
on the day of McKinley's death, he stated that he would 
maintain the policy of President McKinley, and he would 
appoint no one to office on any other standard than 
that of merit. He soon showed an activity in the cause 
for reform, and he had little regard for party affiliations. 



154 EIGHTH MONTH. 

Popularity of Roosevelt. 

Roosevelt was born in New York City, 1858, and 
graduated from Harvard University in 1880. He then 
began the study of law, and the next year was elected 
to the Assembly of New York. He was appointed a Re- 
publican member of the United States Civil Service Com- 
mission by President Cleveland. Later McKinley ap- 
pointed him Assistant Secretary of the Navy. When war 
was declared against Spain he resigned this quiet govern- 
ment office, and recruited a calvary troop from the 
Western ranches, known as "Rough Riders." Roosevelt 
thoroughly understood the ranchman's life for he had al- 
ways spent his summers on a Dakota ranch. He was 
such a brave officer that he was soon appointed to colo- 
nel, and made a magnificent charge up San Juan Hill. 
When the war with Spain was over Roosevelt was known 
by every one on account of his brave and gallant deeds. 
He appeared to all to be the idol of the country. Soon 
after the war he was elected governor of New York 
on the Republican ticket, and in the summer of 1900 he 
was elected Vice President on the Republican ticket. On 
the death of President McKinley he became President 
and served the unexpired term of McKinley. In li)04 he 
made the race for President and received a greater popu- 
lar majority than any other candidate. 

Every one knows Roosevelt as a man oi untiring- 
interests, remarkable mental powers, as honest and high- 
minded. 

Coal Strike of 1902. 

The summer of 1902 witnessed the most far-reaching 
strike in the history of our country, when the miners of 
the anthracite coal refused to work on the conditions of- 
fered them by the owners of the mines or by those who 
operated them. At one time it seemed as if great hard- 
ship would be caused throughout the North by the lack 
of fuel which is used for heating houses. President 
Roosevelt, how^ever, interfered and appointed five com- 
missioners to hear the contending parties and to pro- 
pose, if possible, a basis of settlement between them, on 



EIGHTH MONTH. 155 

the understanding- that in the meantime the striking- 
miners should return to work. Tn this way suffering was 
lessened, and Congress, by voting money for the salaries 
and expenses of the Commission, ratified the action of 
the President. Much credit is due Roosevelt, who 
brought about a successful arbitration. — C Planning' s His- 
tory, copyright 1904, by the Macmillan Company. New 
York, p. 582. 

Conservation. 

The year 189(S was one of almost unexampled agri- 
cultural prosperity. The West raised enormous crops 
of bread stuffs and, owing to the foreign demand, sold 
them at prices which filled the farmers' pockets and 
added largely to the wealth of the country. In connect 
tion with agriculture, attention should be called to the 
preservation of the forests. It has been found that if the 
streams are unprotected by timber, they become torrents 
in the spring and disappear in hot weather. If this goes 
on for a long time, the valleys become sterile, and some 
times uninhabitable. The forests are continually being 
destroyed by fires, lumberman's axe and saw mills, and 
by the pulp mills for the manufacture of wood paper and 
various kinds of wooden ware. Since 1891, the federal 
government has set aside large reservations of timber, 
and a number of States have passed laws not only for the 
preservation of the forests 1)ut for the planting of trees 
as well. 

Many of the coal and petroleum mines throughout 
the country have been set aside to be used for the benefit 
of all the people. The government is trying to conserve 
these valuable resources, and put an end to the old waste- 
ful methods. — From Montgomery's Leading Facts of Amer- 
ican History, Ginn and Company, Publishers, pp. 40Q, //o. 

Irrigation. 

Tn 1902 the government set aside all moneys received 

from the sale of public lands in seventeen States and Ter- 

i"itories to establish an irrigation system. It is believed 

that in this way many millions of acres of arid lands 



156 EIGHTH MONTH. 

can be made fertile. — From Montgomery's Leading Facts of 
American History, Ginn and Company, Publishers, pp. 41 r, 
412. 

"Panama Canal." 
Almost from the time of the discovery of the Pacific by 
Balboa, proposals have been made for the digging of a 
canal across the Isthmus of Panama. But the difficulties 
offered by the steep mountains and the rivers subject to 
great bloods postponed the carrying out of this project, al- 
though the distance from Panama, on the Pacific, to Colon, 
on the Caribbean, is only forty-six miles in a straight 
line. At length, 1881, Ferdinand de Lesseps, a French 
engineer under whose direction the Suez Canal had been 
dug, undertook the cutting of a sea-level canal across the- 
Isthmus. The plan was abandoned, however, after a great 
deal of money had been spent.' A second French company 
then under the construction of a canal with locks. The 
people of the United States have always been greatly inter- 
ested in the project of making a canal between the Atlantic 
and Pacific, and since the acquisition of Hawaii and the 
Philippines, this interest has, if anything, increased. Be- 
fore 1904, however, obstacles of one sort or another have 
prevented the realization of this desire. In this year, how- 
ever, events so shaped themselves that it became possible 
for the United States to enter upon the construction of 
this important waterway. The completion of the work is 
expected on or before the first of January, 1915. — Chan- 
ning's History, copyright IQ04, by the MacmiUan Company, 
Nezv York, p. 56*?. 

Japanese-Russian War. 

The Japanese-Russian War took place during Roose- 
velt's new term, and occupied the attention of the whole 
world. After the countries had been at war for some time, 
and Japan had been successful in many battles, Roosevelt 
suggested that the two countries should hold a peace con- 
ference at Portsmouth, New Hampshire. The result was 
that a treaty of peace was signed by both countries Sep- 
tember 5, 1905. In 1906 Roosevelt was awarded the Nobel 



EIGHTH MONTH. 157 

prize, $40,000 given to him because he had done more than 
any one else to bring about peaceful relations among the 
nations of the earth. 

New Navy. 

Since the United States has come into possession of so 
many islands in remote regions, our government thought 
it was necessary for us to have a larger navy. More and 
better steel-plated war ships were built, and today we have 
twenty-five modern battle ships, besides other kinds of war 
vessels — almost two hundred in all. Only one country sur- 
passes us and that is Great Britain. On December 16, 1907, 
sixteen of our battleships, left Hampton Roads, Virginia, 
for a trip around the world. They sailed around South 
America, and north- to San Francisco, from there they 
crossed the Pacific, visited Hawaii, Australia, New Zealand, 
Japan, China, and the Philippines, then returned home by 
the way of the Red Sea and Mediterranean Sea, and finally 
reached Hampton Roads, February 22, 1909. Every where 
our great ships excited the admiration of the nations of the 
world. 

Insurgent Movement in Politics. 

The insurgent movement started with a small group 
of Senators and Representatives who thought that Taft was 
under the control of reactionary politicians like Cannon and 
Aldrich, that the tarifif pledges made in the campaign of 
1908 had not been kept, and that the power of the govern- 
ment was steadily being handed over to the great business 
interests. Secretary Ballinger of the Department of the 
Interior was accused of being connected with fraudulent 
land claims in Alaska, and finally forced to retire from the 
Cabinet. 

Aided by popular magazines, such as "The Outlook," 
''McClure's," "Everybody's" and "Colliers," the insurgents 
kept up a vigorous agitation, and soon had the support of 
large numbers of voters. The older political managers 
scofifed at them, but they steadily gained converts. Finally 
they forced the Speaker to yield much of his arbitrarv 
poorer. He was excluded from the all-powerful Committee 



158 EIGHTH MONTH. 

on Rules and his power of selecting committees was given 
to a committee of the House. A free method of doing 
business in the House was also secured. 

In the election of 191(1 the Republicans lost control 
of the House to the Democrats and many old time Repub- 
licans were beaten by progressives. The progressive 
group in the Senate grew steadily in numbers. 

In the spring of 1912 the old line Republicans heed- 
less of the trend of the reform movement, undertook to 
employ the old methods of securing delegates to the na- 
tional convention and renominated Taft in spite of his 
known lack of popular support. This attempt resulted in 
the open candidacy of Roosevelt for the nomination. 
Presidential preference primaries were held in several 
strong Republican States in which Roosevelt ran far 
ahead of Taft. There was no doubt that Roosevelt was 
the choice of a majority of the Republican voters, but the 
Taft managers controlled the delegates and nominated 
him. This action caused a split in the party. Most of 
the RooscAelt men left the Convention and took steps to 
form a new party along progressive lines. 

Later in the summer they met in regular convention 
at Chicago and nominated Roosevelt for President and 
Governor Johnson of California for Vice President An 
exciting campaign followed. Roosevelt was able to carry 
a majority of the Republican party into the new Progressive 
party, so that Taft and the older organizations carried but 
two States — Vermont and Utah. 

The rout of the old organization was nearly complete, 
and few of the former Republican leaders were left in 
Congress, even Speaker Cannon being beaten by a compar- 
atively unknown man. The Democrats secured control of 
the branches of the government. They, too, have a strong 
progressive element striving to reform and control the 
party, and the struggle is still going on. Already enough 
has been accomplished that progressive policies are advo- 
cated by most party leaders. Conservatism and machine 
methods of party control are growing more and more un- 
popular. 



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